


A Troll Epic (To Be or Not to Be)

by dragonNMR



Series: The Trolls Saga [1]
Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comfort/Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-09-27 00:46:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 161,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9942713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonNMR/pseuds/dragonNMR
Summary: In the aftermath of making peace with the Bergens, Poppy and Branch cultivate their budding romance as a deeper, more powerful force tethers them together as soul mates. A power they will discover that is both special and amazing as it frightening and dangerous to their very well-being. However, trouble quickly comes knocking when Branch discovers not all his family is dead as he once believed and have been looking for him since he was stolen by his own divided family no less. Not all of his family wants him back however, and one family member in particular is willing to do the unthinkable to not only end his life but make sure he is grey again.Branch will have to discover his origins and past in a far away troll kingdom and the dark cruel secrets his remaining family has to hide that split it in the first place. To prevent war he must venture to his old home, fulfill a prophecy, uncover his family's past, overcome family betrayal in the present, reconnect a crumbled and bitter family, find courage in despair, and find help to destroy the darkness haunting his parent's kingdom. And before it's too late, get back to Poppy's side no matter the cost or something worse than the Bergen's might eat them all.





	1. Party Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Betrothed](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8762389) by [TiPoLover_22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiPoLover_22/pseuds/TiPoLover_22). 



> Disclaimer: Trolls belongs to DreamWorks.
> 
> This story was original on fanfiction, which I deleted to end fighting and harassment due to people making assumptions and jumping to conclusions without even being properly informed and I deeply apologize for not warning the fans of the story before I deleted it. I cannot force anyone believe my side of the story or perspective and I am not going to, everyone has a right to their opinion and beliefs. However, due to requests to finish and share the story, I have posted it here where I have more control over commentary and the story itself like adding notes, links and a larger plot summary. I simply ask that if anyone has negative or harassing comments, please stop and let everyone else enjoy the story in peace.
> 
> This story will have references and inspiration from Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Beowulf, King Arthur, Odyssey, high fantasy stories, Trolls 2 Trolls videos, Trolls DreamWorks Wiki, Trolls official books. Also this story was originally inspired by TiPoLover_22's wonderful story Betrothed where Branch is a Prince of his own warrior troll kingdom in an AU where he marries Poppy in an arranged marriage to save their respective kingdoms. My story however, takes place after the events of the film that expands his personal story and background and his relationship with Poppy and his estranged family through an epic adventure with romance. Not to mention, my personal spin on the origin of the trolls. Don't worry the story won't end in a tragedy but there will plenty of love, angst, hurt, comfort, and drama before a happy ending...or will there be a happy ending? You'll have to read to find out!
> 
> Warning: This story will likely have 20+ chapters minimum, if you want something short, sweet, and to the point, this is not the story for you. When you ready anything I write, it is safe to say you are investing time into a novel.

It was only hours later but the party was still going strong, the upbeat music literally had brightened the sky over Bergen Town just like it’s streets and painted up the side of the previous dull buildings.

Branch still couldn’t fathom where all the energy was coming from that lent a skip into his step and kept him dancing and singing, it was like he had never forgotten how to do it in the first place. That wasn’t true however, just looking at his Queen by his side he knew _exactly_ where the energy had come from. Every one of their steps was in perfect synchronization and their voices never were out of harmony and just knowing that and having the proof right before him, made his heart swell.

Finally the sun was setting and the party had relaxed into chatter and mingling with the Bergens gathered around the Troll Tree. Branch was relieved, panting and his heart still racing.

Poppy was still by his side and he couldn’t help the adoring looks and smiles he glanced her way.

Poppy stared always back with a soft smile and without realizing it their hands would gravitate to one another and join together warmly.

“Oooh! Congratulations to you both!” Biggie suddenly squealed, breaking the moment and making both trolls look up surprised.

“I knew you two were meant for each other!” DJ Suki trilled happily.

“What? How?” Branch asked with a skeptical smile that was trying to hide just how happy he was with that knowledge.

“Yeah, how?” Poppy echoed.

“Oh, come on, Poppy,” Guy voiced in.

“It was pretty obvious,” Copper added.

“Yeah, girl,” Satin started.

“You were always making special invitations _just_ for him,” Chenille finished with a giggle.

Poppy and Branch exchanged a glance, suddenly blushing and Branch had a bigger reason to blush... He still had every one of those invitations stashed in his bunker.

“And Branch has always had a soft spot for you even when he broke your invitations,” Biggie teased.

“No I did not!” Branch huffed then looked at Poppy and relented with a loud sigh. “Alright, I did…”

“Aww!” Poppy suddenly pulled him into a hug, nuzzling her head under his chin.

Branch chuckled and hugged her back, thinking yet again he could get used to this feeling. Of her arms around him, warm and safe.

“So! Spill!” Satin chimed.

Both looked up from their hug, confused.

“Have you two kissed yet?” Chenille demanded.

“When’s the wedding?” Copper popped in.

“Yeah! You know we got to make you that dress, girl!” the twins exclaimed excitedly.

Both trolls blushed profusely suddenly pulling away from each other.

“Guys!” Poppy groaned embarrassed.

“It’s a bit early for that,” Branch protested glancing at Poppy nervously. “I mean…we haven’t even gone on a date! Or decided what we are…” his heart caught a little at those words. “Much less kissed or even talked about that sort of thing. For hair’s sake we just confessed today!” Branch exasperated his voice getting higher pitched and panicked with every word.

“Well whenever you two decide, I know you’ll make a great King, my lad,” cut in a voice as an orange hand landed on Branch’s shoulder.

He nearly jumped, gulped and looked at Peppy who had snuck up behind them and into the conversation.

“Th-thanks? I guess?” Branch mumbled feeling his stomach starting to go into knots. _King?! He certainly hadn’t been thinking that far ahead just yet!_ Of course he wanted to be by Poppy’s side forever and he was glad Peppy approved… But he honestly hadn’t had the time to think about it just yet with all that had happened today. It was all a bit too much to process and he felt his heart starting to race with all the information suddenly pilling in.

Detecting his panic, Poppy picked up his hands again in hers and pulled him closer and away from her dad.

“You’ll be fine,” she promised, her lips pecking his cheek without a thought. “We can take our time, there’s no need to rush,” she assured, her pink eyes shining as she looked into softening blue eyes as he relax into her touch, blushing harder after the kiss. He smiled with love and gratitude and gave her a quiet nod. His heart was racing for a different reason now, thinking about the kiss she had just given him and by the flustered look in her eyes he could tell she was thinking about the same thing.

“Aww…” The Snack Pack murmured in awe at they stared at the new couple.

Branch frowned, looking at them all in annoyance as the moment was disturbed. “Alright! Enough!” he growled sounding like his old self but brighter. “Poppy,” he said looking at her. “It’s getting late…what are we going to do? Are we all moving back to the Troll Tree?” he asked.

Her eyes widened and she realized what he was pointing out and then she snickered. “Yup, you’ll definitely make a great King,” she teased.

He smirked and rolled his eyes at her, waiting for her to answer seriously.

“Of course we are!” she declared suddenly bouncing.

“But!” Branch interrupted her, pulling her hands so she’d stay still. “None of us have our belongings here or any supplies, food, clothes, medicine...and it’s a two day trip from here to the old village,” he pointed out.

Poppy stopped bouncing, frowning seriously and nodding once. “We have to go get our things back and move them here,” she mused for a moment. “Do you think the Bergens can help us? With them it wouldn’t even take a day to go and come back. We can do several trips so some of the trolls can stay here and start preparing the pods.”

Branch smiled proudly at her and nodded in agreement.

“I’ll go ask King Gristle right now,” Poppy declared letting go of his hands and taking a leap back. “Can you get everyone to start picking out pods to stay for the night, Branch?”

He nodded to her and she let out a happy sound, rushing off.

His face getting more serious Branch turned to the mass of trolls that had slowly gathered closer around them at the base of the tree. Branched jumped up onto a nearby tall mushroom and turned to look over the expectant faces, feeling a bit nervous as they all stared up at him.

He took a breath and smiled, thinking how strange it was so natural to do now.

“Alright, everyone!” he called and all eyes turned to him. “You heard our Queen, we are picking pods tonight to rest in. These don’t have to be your permanent pods!” he added. “Starting tomorrow we are going back to the old village in teams to start bringing our things here. Everyone get in an orderly line on either side of the mushroom and start heading up to get ready for the night!”

He watched a bit surprised as the trolls broke apart and listened to him and started heading for the stairs and walkways that curled up the trunk of the Troll Tree. He smiled satisfied watching them move about and well-coordinated. In the distance he could see Poppy in King Gristle’s hands as she spoke to him which admittedly made Branch a bit nervous.

He knew the Bergens were changed now thanks to Poppy but deep inside he was still a paranoid survivalist troll even if he was a happy one now. It would take some time for him to get used to it and he wished he could shrug off past mistrusts as easily as she did. He couldn’t help but stare admiringly at her and her bright spirit and in turn blush as he realized he was staring too long.

Now that he was alone atop the mushroom and staring out, he could process how much he had changed thanks to her restoring his true colors. He was at peace now even if his old nature was starting to make a fuss under his skin. The overwhelming bliss he felt looking at her easily damped it to silence.

King Gristle bent down and Poppy jumped off waving to him and Bridget as she rushed on back. Branch could feel excitement in his feet, urging him to go rush to her and take her in his arms…

Yup, this was going to take some getting used to.


	2. Together

It took about an hour to do but they were all now done picking pods for the night and every troll was nestled for tonight without much difficulty. The sun was long gone and the stars were peaking in the sky along with the moon.

The retired king had already picked a suitable pod but he wanted a permanent one besides Poppy’s once she picked. For now, the current random arrangement would have to do.

Branch was of similar mind about his pod but didn’t voice it just yet as they walked along one of the giant thick branches of the tree, feeling the wood below their feet.

Poppy was enthusiastic and surprisingly, not tired. She was sure she should be yet she walked along with excited energy along with the rest of their friends with Branch by her side.

“We should all pick pods next to each other. Wouldn’t that be nice, Mr. Dinkles?” Biggie asked the worm in his arms.

“Mew.”

“That reminds me, do you think he can really talk? Say more that is?” Poppy asked looking back and started skipping backwards.

“Poppy…” Branch started, worried. “You should watch where you’re skipping.”

“Oh, don’t worry!” she brushed him off, making him frown. “I know you’ll catch me if I fall,” she insisted smugly.

He smirked as she kept skipping, knowing she had a point. She certainly wasn’t much of a dignified and poised Queen.

“Maybe I won’t,” he teased, shrugging. “Maybe a fall will do you good.”

She rolled her eyes seeing right through his bluff. Turning back her gaze she stopped skipping and the Snack Pack stopped with her.

“Well, what do you think?” she asked again.

“Come on, Mr. Dinkles,” Biggie said lifting up the worm. “Don’t be shy, talk to us!”

The worm didn’t so much as blink its large glittery black eyes.

“Mew.”

The atmosphere around the team was almost visibly disappointing.

“Well, I guess that’s that,” DJ Suki shrugged.

“Bummer,” Smidge added, her deep voice unnaturally echoing in the quiet.

“Aww, it’s alright, Mr. Dinkles!” Biggie said snuggling the worm to his face. “You’ll talk when you’re ready.”

“Mew.”

Branch huffed amused, rolled his eyes and picked up the pace again. The gang started to follow.

“Aww,” Poppy complained. “I wanted to hear him talk again.”

“Well, not tonight apparently,” Branch murmured amused.

Poppy pouted.

“Oh!” the fashionista twins suddenly called out. “This pod is perfect!”

The twins raced towards the curling stairway towards a large round pod that was blue and pink with silvery white zigzag trim between the colors.

“Oh! It really is!” Poppy hopped forward and the rest of the gang gathered in front of the pod.

The twins had already rushed in and a light turned on somewhere inside and flooded the foliage of the tree outside with yellow light.

“There’s even two beds in here!” Satin called.

“And a big closet for all fashion needs!” Chenille added.

“Oh, I want to see!” the Queen suddenly rushed in and Cooper, Smidge, and DJ Suki followed after her without missing a beat. The noise that followed had Branch chuckling and shaking his head.

“Going in?” Guy asked with his auto-tuned voice, pointing to the pod.

“No, I think I’ll stay out here,” Branch said. “Probably too crowded in there.”

He nodded in agreement as Biggie made it past the entrance and inside the pod.

Patiently, Branch turned away and looked down the long branch that led to the tunnels at the center of the tree. Then he looked in the opposite direction and the row of empty pods on this particular branch. There was certainly enough…the tree knew exactly what they had needed and provided it, it was pretty spectacular as he mulled it over. He’d have to review his books back at his bunker over the Troll Tree and the magic it innately had in the presence of trolls. Their singing and dancing alone had brought it back to life. What other secrets did it hold…?

He was so lost in thought he was surprised when the group started calling good nights to the twins. He looked back, giving a slight wave as the furry material of the pod swirled and the entrance vanished. The pod still glowed slightly on the outside from the light emanating inside.

“What are you thinking about?” Poppy asked and taking his hand as they started walking again with the remainder of the group.

“Nothing in particular, I was just thinking about the Troll Tree and the pods, how the tree knows what to give us,” he mused aloud. “I have to read up on it again in one of the books I have.”

Poppy smiled, stepping closer to him till their shoulders bumped. “It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he smirked shouldering her back.

They soon left the rest of the gang in their own pods for the night and before they knew it they were alone, walking side by side. Holding hands.

Branch felt nervousness suddenly overcome him, there were no other eyes watching. Why was it that it made such a difference?

“Branch? Are you alright?” Poppy asked suddenly, making him jump.

He looked to her and realized his hand was trembling in her grip. “Sorry…just nervous,” he admitted sheepishly feeling like his face was on fire.

She giggled and suddenly she was hugging his arm close to her body and hugging it with bother her hands. “So am I,” she admitted.

His ears quirked up and he frowned, staring at her surprised.

She smiled shyly at him, her cheeks flushed darker than usual and he felt his face get hotter as he tentatively smiled back.

“Why are you nervous?” he asked with a nervous laugh.

“Because we’re alone.”

He blinked and stopped walking and she stopped too looking up at him surprised. Suddenly he was smiling calmly, his anxiety calming. They were both nervous about the same thing.

“Well,” he started off. “I guess this is my pod.”

She looked startled by his words and let go of his arm to look at the blue pod before them.

“Oh…” she trailed, unsure why she was suddenly discontent.

“Looks like the tree does know what we need,” he added, embarrassed. “Your pod is right next door,” he said sounding pleased and relieved.

Poppy looked at the pink pod with white and blue markings looking a bit bemused. Why was she confused?

“Though I guess if the tree really knew what I wanted it would have given me a bunker instead,” he chuckled with a snort.

Poppy smiled and let out a giggle. “You still want to live in a bunker? Underground and away from everyone?” she asked rhetorically. “But the Bergens are no longer a danger.”

She realized she had hit a sensitive topic when she saw that he was frowning deeply. She bit her lip, trying to think of something cheery to say.

“It’s just…” he beat her to it. “Different,” he finally sighed. “I mean the world is still dangerous,” he started off. “And…well…it was home, it was where I felt safe and away from everything that hurt, that I could hurt…”

Poppy frowned, quietly berating herself mentally for bringing it up.

“Branch,” she sighed. “You never hurt anyone, you tried protecting us,” she insisted, cupping his hand between hers and holding it tightly.

He looked up at her still looking a bit droopy and smiled. “I don’t know Poppy…maybe I was just trying to protect myself, like Creek.”

She scoffed rolling her eyes. “No you weren’t,” she insisted. “You’re nothing like him Branch! You’re caring and selfless and kind, noble, brave, honest, resourceful, you’re intelligent…smarter than me that’s for sure,” she griped a bit miffed before she kept scolding him. “You’re nothing like Creek so don’t compare yourself to him!”

Branch was smirking at her, his blue eyes brighter and almost glowing. She swallowed as she stared into them, realizing again how beautiful his eyes were. The first time she had truly noticed was when Branch had stepped in and began giving Bridget romantic lines no one had ever expected to come from him and then she had been staring into his eyes as he looked at her, saying, “Yes, you do.” Now she stared into them, unsure of what to do.

“Laying it on thick there, don’t you think, Poppy?” he chuckled breaking her trance.

“Thick is how I like the frosting on my cupcakes,” she said matter-of-fact, turning her face away trying to play it cool like she hadn’t just said all those embarrassing things.

She was suddenly pulled into a tight hug and she gasped, caught by surprise. A hand was on her back, holding her and then his fingers squeezed like he was afraid she’d disappear.

“Thank you,” he whispered into her shoulder. “Do…do you really believe that?” he asked so quietly she almost missed it.

Her body relaxed and she glanced at him surprised, smiling softly. “Yes, I do…” she said squeezing him back.

She felt him shake in their hug, and she closed her eyes and was quiet as they hugged. She realized he smelled like blueberries and blackberries, it was heady and accented with the smell of fresh cut wood. A few moments later his voice came out stronger, teasing.

“About me, not the cupcakes,” he corrected holding back a laugh.

“Branch!” she laughed, shoving him and he took a step back laughing hard, now holding her hands and refusing to let go.

He was smiling widely, she loved that smile.

“You have to admit that was funny,” he teased, still grinning.

She rolled her eyes at him and quirked an eyebrow, smirking. “It was pretty funny,” she admitted finally.

He grinned even wider, glad she agreed.

Snorting at him she yanked him closer yet again to get him back into a hug, he didn’t resist.

“Well, I guess it’s time to go to sleep,” he mentioned as he got closer, the brightness leaving his voice.

She frowned, stopped pulling and looked at the two pods again and nodded quietly, admitting he was right. She was a little tired… But looking at the two pods she didn’t know why they bothered her, but they did even if they were so close together but not touching. At least she would have him close by unlike before. She turned to look at him and saw him also frowning, staring at the pods.

“Not scared of being alone, are you?” she teased without thinking, voicing her own strange feelings.

He turned to look at her, half smiling, half frowning. “Yeah, I guess I am,” he acknowledged.

She felt her heart drop to her stomach as her lips gaped slightly.

“Good night, Poppy.”

He leaned in and she froze as his lips touched her forehead, tingling warmth pervading through her skin. In him, the heat was going from his face and then down all over his body like he was burning. He felt like his heart would pop out of his chest as he took his lips away and turned away, letting go of her hands.

Poppy stared after him speechlessly as he anxiously and briskly walked into his pod.

The pod wall closed behind him and he finally felt safe and alone with his panicked feelings and thoughts.

His heart was hammering and his chest was heaving as he stared dizzily at the ground.

He suddenly growled at himself, running his fingers over his head and yanking at his dark blue hair as he cursed at himself.

He felt like such an idiot! Was that too fast? Why had he just admitted that to her?! He might as well have asked her to stay with him! And for troll’s sake he knew how inappropriate that was! It was not like they were kids anymore, they couldn’t just pass it off as a slumber party. Not to mention a slumber party implied more than one other troll. Right now it was just them and he wasn’t even sure if they more than just friends at the moment that were interested in being mates. That made the idea even more awkward and he couldn’t handle the stress of it all. It was too many emotions all at once and he wished Poppy was actually here to help him keep calm. He just couldn’t help be calm and happy around the energetic troll, after all _she_ was the source of his happiness and that frightened him as much as it brought him joy.

He groaned and slumped against the wall and looked around trying to distract himself. The pod was nice, homey even if it was dark inside and hard to see with only the moonlight pouring in through a window.

The first floor was laid out simply. There was a table and two seats… Why were there two seats? Did everything have to be a set for a reason or was he overthinking it?

Grunting at his paranoid self he looked over the rest.

There was a small homey kitchen and then a closet by the stairs. There was a large set of shelves and a bookcase on the wall closest to the closet.

Tired of looking around he headed for the stairs and made it to the second floor which was just the bedroom and bathroom. It was nice, and the bed…was too big. It could easily accommodate two trolls and still have extra space for leg room.

He rolled his eyes and muttered. “What are you trying to say tree? Hmm?” he asked rhetorically staring at the ceiling and the flower bulb that was closed which was in fact a light when the petals opened.

Trudging in he pulled the blanket out of the way, straightened one of the pillows and curled up into the bed and tossed the blanket over himself. He stared up at the ceiling for a long time, thinking.

He was used to being alone, but this…tonight it was different.

Sighing he picked up his hand and stared at his blue skin and faintly smiled, thinking of the first time he had sang in over twenty years. All he could think about at that moment was Poppy and the harsh words he had so inconsiderately spat at her at the beginning of their journey. How bad he had wished at that moment that he could take them back as he watched with a broken heart as the girl he loved fell to her knees and lost all hope and happiness. Watching her colors drain away and like a ripple in a pond, turn all her people grey with her... It was the worst moment in his life along with the moment he had lost Grandma Rosiepuff. Fate was cruel and had given him exactly what he had wanted, what he had asked for…which in all reality, he never had wanted. He never had truly wanted to see her spirit crushed but his bitterness and fear…had made him most insensitive over the long years, even to her.

And in that moment of despair he had found resolve to overcome his own fear and sorrow, a resolve to make someone else happy. And with all his heart and to his relief…he had been able to sing to her, to show her how much she meant to him in song and she had reciprocated and regained her colors. That moment alone, was one he would always be proud of, one of his best and happiest memories considering their seemingly hopeless situation.

He let his hand fall back to his side, still smiling a little.

He let out another sigh, wishing she was here more than anything right now. He almost even felt like singing if it would bring her to his side.

Branch heard footsteps, his right ear twitching towards the doorway. He suddenly sat up, alert.

“Who is it?” he demanded, tensing.

Suddenly he saw a pink form in his doorway and he paused, surprised and relieved.

“Poppy?”

She frowned, rubbing her arm and walking in.

“What are you doing here?” he asked bewildered.

She shrugged, giving him a bashful look. “I was scared of being alone, too.”

He felt his heart seize and his eyes go wide.

“Can…can I stay here with you tonight, Branch?” she asked smiling hopefully.

Suddenly he felt his heart racing a mile a minute and he gulped, and nodded. “S-sure,” he stuttered before scooting aside to give her room.

She smiled and rushed over, hopping onto the bed as he pulled the blanket up for her. He let it drape over her as she curled up, set her head on the other pillow and looked at him. She had the silliest grin on her face he ever did see as he laid down on his side and faced her.

He smirked at her. “Scared, hu?” he questioned. “Since when?”

Poppy’s smile fell, becoming a serious frown. “Since today,” she admitted quietly making him frown.

He reached over, cupping her back and pulled her closer without thought.

“Why?” he asked obviously concerned.

“Because you are,” she whispered as her hand landed on his cheek. “I can’t leave you alone knowing that, Branch.” Her thumb made simple little circles as his eyes widened at her words.

He let in a sharp and shaky inhale at her words, his cheeks starting to flush again.

Leaning in their foreheads bumped and he closed his eyes, feeling his heartbeat calm with the contact, with her warmth and her gentle breaths washing his face. All his fears and insecurities rushing away just by feeling her close by and making everything else inside him warm and alight with joy.

“Thank you, Poppy.”

“For what?” she asked softly, still cupping his cheek and watching him with her half closed pink eyes.

A soft smiled pulled at his lips, his blue eyes still closed. “For making me happy.”


	3. No One Likes Drool

Poppy didn’t know when she had fallen asleep, only that her eyes were opening to dusky light barely filtering through a round window in the room. In the gloom of greys and lavenders there were touches of pink and yellow illuminating the dust in the air where light streamed in.

And it was warm, very warm.

She hummed a little note, cuddling into the warmth and then realized…no remembered, where she was. _Who_ she was with.

Heat suddenly rushed to her face.

Her eyes blinked open, surprised for a moment as she looked down at the large blue hand cupped around her waist, holding her close to the source of warmth.

Branch.

She was spooned perfectly into his form like two pieces that simply fit and she could feel this broad chest and shoulders against her back. His soft breathing over her head, ruffling into her hair. His face was nuzzled into her hair like it was a pillow. She snickered quietly as she heard the quiet snores he made and as she shifted and then realized a spot on her head felt a little wet…

“Ewww…” she groaned as she realized what it was, but it was actually pretty funny and cute. “Branch,” she whispered. “Branch! You’re drooling in my hair.”

He let a complaining murmur, suddenly his arm squeezing her a little tighter and closer. His face nuzzling a little deeper into her pink hair.

Huffing she decided on plan B.

“Branch!” she suddenly yelled.

He scrambled straight up into a sitting position in an instant. “Ah! Hide the coconuts!” he suddenly yelled, eyes wide.

“Pfft!” Poppy snorted, covering her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

She flipped over and looked up at him, biting her lip as she unintentionally snickered and he looked around startled.

“Wha…what? I mean…” he looked down at her his face suddenly flushing as he realized what was going on too. “Um, uh, sorry. Uh…did I hurt you, Poppy?”

“No,” she giggled finally removing her hands from her face. “But you were drooling in my hair.”

His face got darker and he had a small frown under his nose. “Oh…ehem…um, sorry.” He looked away embarrassed, his hands fidgeting together.

“It’s alright, silly,” she promised. “I was just surprised…that you drool and snore in your sleep,” she teased. “Well not the snoring really since you snored on our trip, but it was a lot louder this time.”

He scowled, giving her a sullen pout as he looked her straight in the face.

“Solid burn, Poppy,” he grumbled.

“Oh, come on!” she laughed sitting up and gently pushing. “I’m just teasing, Branch. I thought it was really cute, you looked so relaxed!” she said happily.

He finally smirked, just a little. “I was relaxed, until you yelled,” he retorted good-humoredly.

She snickered again. “What were you dreaming about, something that has to do with…hiding the coconuts?”

He rolled his eyes and looked away flustered. “Forget about it. And no, it has nothing to do with coconuts.”

She grinned and scooted a little closer which was impossible, their sides were already touching.

“Ooooh, come on! Tell me!” she insisted.

He huffed amused, rolled his eyes and turned to look at her. “I don’t really remember, it was just a good dream with you in it,” he smirked waiting for her to be embarrassed now.

It worked, her face flushed and her cheeks got a deeper pink till the sparkling freckles glittered.

His smile only got bigger as he saw the lovely color on her cheeks.

She finally smiled back. “I slept like a rock!” she exclaimed plopping back down on the bed. “I didn’t dream anything I think, but I was just super tired and comfortable.” She stretched, let out a satisfied groan and relaxed.

Branch chuckled and laid back down but on his side, facing her.

“Best sleep I’ve had in years,” he agreed.

“Really?” she asked bright and surprised as she rolled over to look at him. “Why is that? Was the bed in your bunker just not as comfortable?”

His smirk said otherwise. “That’s not why.” He reached forward and grabbed her hand. “You should know why, it’s not hard to guess the reason.”

He was staring at her with piercing blue eyes and she felt herself get even warmer and more flustered. She finally smiled shyly.

“You really are a romantic, Branch.”

He huffed at her sudden observation and rolled his eyes but he was still smiling. “Well, I did write poetry and read a lot in my spare time,” he mentioned absently.

“I thought you weren’t passionate about romance,” she teased, partially quoting him.

He snorted at her. “Don’t you know anything about sarcasm?” he repeated jokingly.

Poppy just smiled.

“Well,” he started, his fingers rubbing the back of her hand. “I was being sarcastic then, why in the world would I tell you guys then that I know anything about romance? But I ended up giving myself away in the end anyways.” He frowned thoughtfully glancing away, it was pretty ironic in the end if he thought about it.

“I’m glad you did,” Poppy admitted softly and he looked back at her. “You really saved us and Bridget back there, and…I got to see more of your softer side.”

He snorted with real irony in his voice. “All I am now is my ‘softer side’ it seems, it’s still a little weird,” he admitted. “Waking up and seeing my skin isn’t grey, not feeling grey inside, inside a pod…and with you by my side…” he frowned. “I never thought in a million years that I would ever tell you how I feel about you. Or imagine it might end up this way like it is now.”

“Not ever?” she echoed a little down by his words.

“No, not ever,” he admitted, but he was smiling now. “I’m glad I was wrong.”

She smiled back brightly, a happy fluttering glow inside her that made even her skin glow a little.

“Will you let me read some of your poetry soon?”

That was out of the blue. His eyes were wide and he let out a nervous cough as he looked up at the ceiling, hot in the face.

“I don’t know Poppy, I mean knock yourself out if you really want but…” his cheeks were a dark purplish blue now as he looked down at her hand. “I mean…all the good poetry is about you, not that I’m saying it’s good poetry! It’s just…uh, it’s the positive one are about you. The gloomy ones, well…” he ended up shrugging, swallowing nervously.

“Awww! Really?” she bounced somehow in place even while lying down. “You wrote poetry about me?”

He chuckled, she was never unfazed was she? Bright eyed and always embracing her emotions. But it was one of the reasons he loved her.

“Yeah, I just said that, didn’t I?”

“Oooh, I can’t wait now! I could just siiiiiiing!” she sang excited.  She flipped over and took her hand with her which made Branch frown as she gestured excitedly in the air. “What time is it?” she suddenly asked.

She turned her head to look at the clock and he looked over her head to check too. He was surprised by how early it was, most trolls wouldn’t be awake at this hour.

“Hu,” she sighed suddenly her energy dissipating. “I was wondering why the morning song hadn’t started yet. That means we can start it together!” She rolled over and looked at him with anticipation, just waiting for him to agree and her energy level was back up just like that.

“Poppy,” he sighed calmly and amused. He still didn’t know how she managed to do it, but he was getting the feeling was starting to finally understand. With her energy, he was a little excited too, actually eager to start the morning song with her. “It’s too early, let everyone have some rest. Yesterday was a really emotional day for everyone. Some winding down will do us all good.”

“You’re right,” she groaned for a second before her voice returned to normal. “Will you sing with us today too?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” he grinned raising an eyebrow at her question.

“Well, I don’t know,” she shrugged, smiling at him. “I’m still not used to the positive, singing, dancing Branch just yet either you know.”

He smiled seeing her point and nodded, he could agree with her there. “That makes two of us then. But don’t worry, I’ll sing Poppy, so long as you’re by my side.”

She blushed and smiled at his words and nodded in promise. She would always be there for him and she made that promise in her heart as she remembered when he had sang to her, promising he’d always be there for her. She could remember the song so clearly and she knew she’d never forget that moment.

“You know, Branch…”

“Yeah?”

“You really do have a voice like an angel’s.”

He blushed surprised by her words but in the end his smile was bittersweet.

“Thanks, Poppy,” he thanked her, his voice a bit shaky as he took her hand again. “Thank you.”

“You have to stop thanking me, Branch,” she smiled pulling herself a little closer. “There’s nothing to thank me for.”

“Never,” he growled softly. “There is everything to be thankful for, and it’s all thanks to you. I would never have realized it without you.”

She realized he had a point, there was always something to be grateful about and her smile became even gentler.

He was smiling but suddenly he pushed himself up. “Why don’t we get ready for today? We have a lot to do, we can start with breakfast,” he started, already planning the day out in his head.

“Actually, I’d like a shower first,” she stated. “Have to get a certain troll’s drool out of my hair,” she teased.

He started to chuckle then his face warped with sudden disgust. “Eww…”

“Oh, come on it’s not that bad!” she laughed seeing the face he was making.

“No, no it’s not that,” he said pulling his hand away from hers as he suddenly visibly shook and hugged himself. “I just remembered I was sitting on King Gristle’s tongue yesterday and I haven’t showered since… Ugggh!” he said mortified as another tremor went down his body and made his hair stick on end.

“Eww…” Poppy grimaced, suddenly recalling. And she had gotten a giant whiff of the Bergen's breath when she had leapt on Branch to save him. Branch didn’t smell like it though, thankfully, but just thinking about the drool... “You shower first…?”

“Are you kidding? What is there to ask? The bathroom’s mine!”

He suddenly leapt over her and off the bed and rushed straight for the bathroom, slamming the door right behind him.

Poppy laughed hearing the shower turn on in an instant. She wouldn’t be surprised if he sprang into the cold water with his clothes still on.

Rolling out of bed she decided she’d start on their breakfast and suddenly she was excited! It was her chance to cook something nice for Branch and she rushed down the stairs. Then she paused wondering what he did and didn’t like to eat…

She was standing in front of the kitchen contemplating. Well, pancakes were safe. What troll didn’t like pancakes full of berries, right? They were delicious and nutritious! She was sure Branch would like them so she got to work.

Soon she had her mess laid out, the batter made and a big blueberry she had found growing on a small branch in the cabinet sliced into in small pieces. The heat on the stove was on and she had the pan at the ready flipping flapjacks. She even found a honey and wondered how the tree did it all, the trolls still had to make their own things and gather and forage… But the Troll Tree and forest had always been bountiful and their civilization never had needed to work too hard to have what it needed and wanted. They still stockpiled for winter of course but it never was just work all day, how else would they have time for singing and dancing and hugging?

Before long she had pancakes stacked up high on two plates topped with fresh blueberry slices, blueberry muffins, blueberry juice, blueberry infused tea…it was all very much blueberry themed and she hoped she hadn’t gone overboard. She had seen blueberries in his bunker before so she assumed it was a safe bet that he liked them.

She heard footsteps behind her coming from the stairs and turned around to see Branch. He still had a towel on his head and was wearing some dark blue shorts and a purple vest. He sniffed the air and looked over intrigued at the buffet Poppy had already laid out on the table.

“What happened to your clothes?” she asked bemused, surprised he would wear something so colorful.

“Are you kidding? Those clothes are contaminated!” he said pointing up the stairs towards the bathroom. “Not to mention dirty and sweaty,” he added more calmly.

She snorted amused by his cute antics.

“What’s all this?” he asked walking to the table, his eyes hungry.

“What does it look like, silly? It’s breakfast!”

“I can see that,” he chuckled and shrugged. “It’s just so much, you didn’t have to. I just thought we could cook together, that’s all I meant.”

A crestfallen look crossed her face.

“Next time!” he cut in trying to cheer her up as he sat down. “Next time I’ll cook for you and then we can cook together. Just to be even,” he reassured hoping to turn her frown upside down.

She smiled immediately and nodded. “Deal.” Poppy sat down across from him and pulled her pancakes closer. “I hope you like it, I didn’t find much in the pantry and cabinets but blueberry.”

“Don’t worry, Poppy,” he assured already cutting into the stack with his fork. He paused and grabbed the honey which was in a slice of honeycomb and drizzled some of it on. “I’m sure I’ll love it, after all you made it and if your cooking is not on par with your scrapbooking then I think you need a priority change,” he teased smugly, taking a bite.

She smiled and rolled her eyes at his words and grabbed some honey herself.

“Do you like it?”

He raised up a finger, telling her to wait as he finished chewing. She felt her heart hammering, waiting for the verdict.

He swallowed and picked up his cup of juice, making her groan loudly as he prolonged her torment. Her brows were knitted together as she glared as he took a long drink before putting the cup down and let out a content sigh.

He looked at her thoughtfully and her expression was already falling as he stayed silent. Did it taste horrible?

Suddenly he smiled smugly, he was having way too much fun teasing her. “Like I said, delicious.”

“Yes!” she hissed as she did a small fist pump in victory like she had been waiting years to hear those words. Then she suddenly snapped with a scolding tone. “Don’t do that again!”

“Do what?” Branch shrugged innocently. She couldn’t believe it! He was playing coy.

“You know exactly what, Branch!” she huffed pointing accusingly.

He chuckled, grabbing a muffin. “Whatever you say, your Majesty.”

Poppy smirked and took a bite of her pancakes as Branch shot her one last affectionate glance before they kept eating. She was sure today was going to be a great day, she’d finish her food, take a shower, and start off the morning song with Branch and split up the teams to go back to the old village to collect their things. Nothing was getting in their way today!


	4. Planning the Day

Water and soap was spilling over Branch’s hands as he concentrated on washing the dishes, alone with his thoughts and the silence. Poppy had left for her pod to take a shower, she had initially wanted to stay here and take a bath in his pod till he reminded her any clean change of clothes for her would be in her closet, in her pod. His closet only had a few vests and shorts for him so she reluctantly left and wasn’t a fan of leaving him all the dishes.

But he honestly didn’t mind, he had the towel draped behind his neck and the chore was distracting. It wasn’t distracting enough as he mulled over last night…he had fallen asleep with her so close without a second thought or even trouble for that matter. In fact he didn’t even recall falling asleep or the thought crossing his mind that he should have told her they should wait before doing something like that. It was just all so…natural.

It worried him. It was all happening so quickly and it felt out of order too. Not to mention that Poppy didn’t even seem to mind and that left him wondering… Just how far had she gone with Creek? What sort of intimate things had they shared…? Was it because of _him_ that she was so used to it?

Jealously immediately seared through his blood and he squished the sponge in his hand. He had always disliked Creek and now the reason was more obvious than ever than the fact the troll had always been rotten in some ways under his exterior.

Branch let out a heavy sigh and tried to think of something else.

Plans. Yes, he needed to start making plans for today’s trip and work. A little voice in his head told him that was Poppy’s job, she was the queen after all. Then he recalled her brilliant plan to save her friends- their friends, which in all honesty had just been a wish list. Thinking that he was sure she wouldn’t mind if he lent her a hand as she got used to her new responsibilities. He was good at these sorts of things, at being rational and prepared.

He put the sponge aside, turned off the water and quickly cleaned the counters. Afterwards he went upstairs, tossed the towel on a rack and combed his hair which was still quite a shock to see in the mirror. A dark blue mane like he had recalled it in his youth long ago and a lot taller now, it was going to take some getting used to. Using it however had been second nature, even changing its color which he hadn’t been able to do in years.

Branch returned downstairs and pulled out sheets of paper and a pencil and began writing out some plans. They had to write a formal treaty with the Bergens and an alliance, set up jobs for the trolls staying and leaving, designate housing and pathways, storage areas, a schedule for job shifts, supplies for the trip…

The fabric-like wall of the pod suddenly opened up and he glanced over as he saw Poppy walk in. She was radiant, her hair still tied up but her crown for just her usual flower band was gone and the dress she wore was a raspberry red. He realized dawn was finally upon them as the sun started to peek more than half way over the horizon and soon Poppy would want to start the morning song. He smiled at her and got back to his list, he already was sketching a crude diagram of the tree on another piece of paper.

“What is that?” she asked skipping over excitedly. She reached the table and looked down but before she even had a good look she was already talking. “Poetry?”

“No,” he chuckled and passed her the list. “I started a list of tasks that we need to cover today.”

She took the paper and stared at it critically, making a small “Hmm,” sound.

He stopped working and looked at her, wondering if he was wrong and she was indeed upset with his meddling…

“We should probably get the treaty done right away. I mean, I don’t mistrust our new friends but it would help make everyone feel more at easy, right?” she started off. Branch quietly sighed, smiling relieved that she wasn’t upset.

She pulled the paper down from her face and looked at him for advice. He was genuinely and pleasantly surprised and he was eager to help her.

“I think we should,” he agreed. “The only problem is when did you ask King Gristle if his people can help us go to the old village and back?”

Poppy grimaced and sat down, placing the paper in front of her on the desk.

“Today,” she informed him. “Maybe the treaty can wait a bit…?”

“I’m not sure that is a good idea,” Branch interjected. “I mean…are you going to stay here to keep the other trolls calm or will your father keep them calm? The trolls left behind might get a little edgy, I mean no one is very mistrusting among us but…there are some and with good reason. A lot of us have lost family to the Bergens and not everyone is going to trust them right away, they learned to be scared of them for years. But they trust you, Poppy.”

Poppy frowned, looking pensive. “I wonder why that is…I don’t feel that way and I lost my mom to a Bergen, but I was too small to remember.” She looked up at him. “And you lost…well…” she trailed off not wanting to mention it.

He nodded. “I lost all my family to them, my mother, my father, my…” he trailed off, swallowing as he thought about his grandmother. He never had known his parents and his grandmother had raised him since he could remember, losing her had been more devastating than anything. Leaving him with nothing left in the world and he had blamed himself for being lost in song that day.

A hand touched his and he snapped out of his memories. He looked at Poppy, finding her looking apologetically at him. He gave her a reassuring look.

“Anyways,” he said a bit gruffly, trying to swallow his emotions back down. “The treaty should be done first. The trip back to the old village can wait till tomorrow or even in a few days. It should help reassure everyone that they are safe, that the Bergens mean it.”

Poppy smiled and nodded. “I’ll tell King Gristle and ask him if he has time to write the treaty today. Will you come with me? I want you to be there, I’m sure you wouldn’t miss a thing. I’ll take my dad too and some of the other elders will probably want to come too.”

“Not to mention our friends,” he added with a smirk.

She grinned widely as he finally acknowledged them as his friends too. Poppy’s heart felt light and happy hearing him say that.

“We should set up permanent housing today too, clear pathways and storage areas and other such needs, we’ll need a few teams to go out and gather food…” he paused suddenly scowling.

“What is it?” Poppy asked worried by the sudden look on his face.

“Well, the town is surrounding the Troll Tree. How will we get supplies? I mean we can use the root tunnels and collect food and supplies in the forest just right outside them or outside the gates of the town so long as no one gets stepped on…but the Bergen’s haven’t been very clean about taking care of the forest around them,” he added having observed that when they arrived.

“I’ll mention it to King Gristle, maybe they won’t mind helping keep the forest clean.”

“They better not mind,” Branch growled. “Otherwise we might as well move back to the other village, it wouldn’t be livable here cut off from the forest.”

“No it wouldn’t…” she sighed thoughtfully looking away. She suddenly looked back, smiling. “You really would make a great King, Branch. You’re doing all the work for me. How am I supposed to be a Queen like that?” she teased not sounding bothered, everyone needed help. Even a queen.

He chuckled and put the pencil down, leaning against the table. “Sorry, I just thought you would like help getting started. I’m sure you can do it all yourself it’s just…” he trailed off unsure how to explain himself to her without making look like he doubted her, because he didn’t. “I’m just good at planning ahead, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’d be a great King.”

“You’re a leader, Branch,” Poppy interjected. “A natural one and I’m glad I have you by my side helping me. I probably wouldn’t have thought of half these things until it was brought up. But you did, you have so many things that make you a great leader. Don’t make me repeat that list of qualities I gave you last night,” she smiled honestly, blushing a bit.

He smiled bashfully this time and looked down at the papers. King, hu? He supposed it wouldn’t be such a bad thing with Poppy by his side. It was a lot of responsibility, a lot of trolls looking up to them. It was a little scary in fact, the idea of letting them down. But with Poppy, he was sure they could carry the burden. As he thought about it he was actually alright with the idea in fact, helping protect everyone with her as her King. He wanted to help her in every way possible that he could.

“Well…” he started and he was surprised his voice was a little nervous. “When that time comes, I think I’ll be ready, Poppy. To be your king that is, and for everyone else too.”

Poppy’s smile visibly brightened and he wasn’t sure how that was possible. Only that she was suddenly leaning in, in his surprise he flinched and she ended up kissing the tip of his nose. He felt the heat go across his face like he had just splashed hot water on it.

She laughed pulling herself back into her seat as she saw his blushing face, she looked a bit abashed herself as if she just realized what she had tried to do.

“A bit forward don’t you think?” he asked, his voice sounding strange. “You don’t feel…this is all happening a bit fast?” he asked her worried.

She frowned thoughtfully, her face clearing up and she stopped laughing. She was clearly thinking about it.

“No, I hadn’t really thought about it,” she admitted. “It’s just…so natural with you, Branch. Like it’s what we are supposed to be doing and sure I’m nervous but…I don’t hesitate. I’m sorry, did I make you uncomfortable?”

The displeased expression on her face had him reeling, but not as much as she echoed the same thing he had thought earlier. It was just so natural for them, like breathing.

“No, no you didn’t make me uncomfortable. The situation however…” He looked at her, a faint smile on his lips. “It’s just…a little scary, earlier I was thinking the same thing. That it’s just…natural for us, too natural and it just feels…”

“Right,” she ended for him, smiling in understanding.

“Yeah,” he whispered a bit of awe in his expression.

He looked up at her and she had the same look of wonder on her face and bliss.

But like all those paranoid, doubt bit him when he wished it didn’t. He frowned bothered and decided to just ask.

“You and Creek…?”

“No,” she cut in without a moment’s wait and she sounded a little angry making him wince and wish he had kept quiet. “I mean…we were dating but…it wasn’t anything serious yet. We did kiss once but…it just wasn’t the same, Branch. I don’t think he was really interested in _me_ now that I really look back on it. I don’t think he ever loved me. His act was the same from start to finish, like all he wanted was the attention,” her voice was a bit bitter and Branch could feel the anger rising inside him as he thought about the traitor. He had known that about Creek long ago, but knowing that Poppy had to realize it the hard way when she hadn’t deserved her pure heartedness and kindness to be betrayed in such a way… Branch’s blood was boiling, it was no surprise he had been pleasantly smug when she had choked Creek herself.

But she looked up, her eyes calmer and he felt his own fury subside by looking into her eyes.

“This kind of happiness that I feel with you is completely different. In comparison to us so far, the experience and feelings with him doesn’t even hold a candle,” she said softly and Branch’s heart missed a beat. Then her voice dropped and she sounded more depressed than her frown let on. “I wish I had realized his real colors before but…I never wanted to see bad in anyone.”

“I don’t think anyone saw Creek’s real colors till the very end, Poppy,” Branch promised, trying to reassure her.

“You did though, you never liked him.”

“I had a lot of reasons not to like him,” Branch argued. “He may have been nice around you but he could be a real bully some times. He was always selfish too even when he didn’t act like it. Plus…” he flushed embarrassed. “I never did like how close he was getting to you.”

She snickered, getting his implication as he looked away scowling.

“Thank you, Branch.”

His expression softened and he looked at her again.

“You know Branch…I think with everything that has happened… I think it means we are soul mates,” she said looking truly in awe.

He was shocked by the sudden words and he stared, unsure what to say. He never had really believed in soul mates, but with her he had learned to believe in love and happiness again.

“I hear stories that two trolls that are soul mate…well so many amazing things happen between them,” Poppy continued on excited. “Like their hearts are in sync and they can just know each other so perfectly that they sing and dance together like…” she was bubbling, moving her hands as she tried to explain it. “Like how we did yesterday! We didn’t need to practice dancing or singing together we just did it and we never missed a beat!”

He smiled at this and nodded enthusiastically, she did have a point. He hadn’t sung or danced in years but with her, it was just so natural he didn’t even have to think about it and they had matched each other’s moves to a flaw. Perfectly coordinated.

“And I hear their souls can pull them to each other, like when trying to find each other or if either one is in danger. And their hair can…”

A sudden burst of singing started outside and got progressively louder.

Poppy jumped from her seat without a thought, gasping. “They started the morning song without us!” she yelled and suddenly grabbed his hand. “Let’s go!”

Branch laughed heartily as she dragged him outside to join the singing. She never changed.


	5. Rectangular or Triangular?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit: Sandwiches | Troll 2 Troll | DREAMWORKS' TROLLS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRTQww-Ea7o

* * *

 

“Hug time!” everyone in the Snack Pack began to yell except Branch as their hug time bracelets went off not even a few seconds after the morning song was over.

Below in Bergen Town, the Bergens had even come out to join the singing and dancing and were now scattering to get to their days. Most of them smiling and humming with a skip in their step.

Branch was pulled into yet another group hug and although he let himself, they weren’t his all-time favorite. It was a bit too crowed for his liking but so long as he was squished by Poppy he could learn to endure it.

They pulled apart and all the trolls were cheering and starting to gather near the center of the Troll Tree, walking on the branch pathways towards the center.

“Branch, we got to get you a hug time bracelet,” Poppy suddenly stated.

Branch smirked, about to reply but another voice cut in.

“What for?” Suki asked. “He’s got you always around now!”

The pair looked at them confused, Branch seemed to get it first and made a flustered face.

“She’s got a point!” Cooper agreed.

“I think a new bracelet would be nice,” Biggie said but the others were already talking over him.

“Yeah, we saw you bursting out of Branch’s pod this morning,” Satin giggled.

“What were you doing in there, girl? Huuu?” Chenille teased.

Poppy made a surprised face and she blushed slightly and exchanged a glance with an equally flustered Branch. They answered in sync.

“Eating breakfast.”

“And making plans,” Branch answered.

“Suuuure,” Guy exaggerated and trading smirks with Smidge.

The gang started to laugh as Branch and Poppy exchanged somewhat defeated expressions of acceptance.

Branch leaned in a little closer and took Poppy’s hand. “You don’t need to worry about my bracelet, I still have mine stored away in my bunker. It might be a bit small now though,” he reminisced.

“You kept it all this time?” Poppy asked surprised.

He shrugged. “In a box, in a hole, under another box,” he admitted amused before he frowned. “I suppose…in some part of my heart I longed to be happy again. So I kept it even though I knew it wasn’t likely to happen,” he shrugged.

“Aww, Branch,” Poppy pouted. “I’m sorry I didn’t help more sooner.”

“Don’t be. You were the only one that tried all these years and you never stopped trying,” Branch smiled softly, his gratitude obvious in his gaze.

She smiled back relieved and happy.

“You were the nightmare lurking outside my door,” he suddenly teased.

“Branch!” Poppy gasped.

Everyone started laughing including Branch, who affectionately squeezed her hand. She smiled and gave into the laughter a moment later.

As they gathered at the center of the tree, Branch was pulled along with the Queen and the Snack Pack followed. Everyone waited as she said good morning to her father before calling everyone’s attention.

“It’s a beautiful day everyone! Good morning!” she started off as the rest of the gang stood back and watched with the crowd as they called “Good morning, Queen Poppy!”

“Today we have a lot to do,” she continued as the noise died down. “First off, I will go to King Gristle today and make a formal treaty of our new friendship between the Trolls and the Bergens!”

Everyone started cheering, bouncing up and down while Branch calmly watched his queen with a proud smile as she went over the list of tasks they had discussed earlier in the morning.

“In the meantime, we need to go over where everyone will be staying and set pathways, storage areas and teams to go start collecting supplies! Of course we need someone skilled in these areas to overlook the work! So, I have selected what I believe is the best Troll for the job. As Queen, I decree that Branch will be the right hand of the Queen from this day on!” she said smiling, looking at him as she sent a gesture in his direction.

“What?!” Branch muttered shocked as congratulations started pouring in around him. The Snack Pack patting his shoulders and back, obviously happy and agreeing with the choice. He shot Poppy a playful yet vengeful glare for not warning him sooner, but it was all in good humor and he was just a bit surprised by the sudden announcement and a bit overwhelmed.

“Furthermore, we need to go back to the old village to collect our things,” Poppy continued capturing the attention of the crowd again. “We will be doing this in teams so while work is done here some can go collect their things and then we’ll switch teams for the next trip. We’ll probably start this tomorrow so that gives everyone time to decide what shift to take. Alright everyone, don’t forget to have some fun!”

The crowd started to gather around a particular blue troll and Branch balked as he was quickly overwhelmed by incoming Trolls. He suddenly jumped and he was next to Poppy on a higher spot, overlooking the crowd.

“Alright! Slow down! One thing at a time,” he called gesturing with his hands for them to stop.

They stopped, staring up at him.

“I know them! They are my friends!” Biggie suddenly said only to be hushed promptly by the rest of the Snack Pack.

“Okay…” Branch mumbled, turning to Poppy with a slight and worried frown. “Take some Trolls with you when you go visit King Gristle…” he started, his concern obvious even in his voice. He even sounded a little nervous, he didn’t like the idea of her going alone or without him for that matter to the Bergens.

He even wanted to protest but kept silent, Poppy had trusted him with an important job.

Poppy smirked shaking her head at him. “Alright, if it’ll make you feel better, grumpy pants.”

Branch smiled relieved while giving her a curious look over the mocking nickname. “It will,” he promised.

She nodded and then gestured for the Snack Pack to follow her. Branch turned back to the crowd afterwards looking more composed.

“Alright, everyone that is happy with their pods, go to the right,” he gestured. “Everyone who wants a switch, move into an orderly line on the left…”

Poppy watched for a moment, happy to see him so focused and leading. She left with her friends and left Branch to deal with the rest for now, grateful she had his help.

By lunchtime all the pods had been arranged which hadn’t been too much trouble, most of the trolls had been happy with the pods they picked last night. While he dealt with delegating living spaces he had set the rest of the trolls to work gathering supplies and exploring the root tunnels for storage areas inside the tree.

It was all going smoothly and admittedly hug time was both a good break and an annoying distraction in some cases when he was interrupted in the middle of a sentence expecting to hug the nearest troll and every time he wished it was Poppy. Even knowing that the Snack Pack had gone with her, he was worried trying not to think of the Bergens in an old light. What if someone slipped up and decided they wanted a taste of troll again? The paranoia was killing him.

So he set himself to work too so he would be distracted and joined exploring the root tunnels in the tree for storage areas. It was no surprise when trolls started singing while working, Branch just quietly hummed along only and helped explore the root tunnels before lunch time arrived. He wasn’t in the mood to sing his heart out to a working song while he was thinking and worrying about Poppy.

He was pleasantly surprised as he got to know everyone a little bit better that spoke to him and everyone was happy to work with him and do the tasks he assigned. The feeling was quiet new…and he felt like he was a part of the community again for the first time in years. He couldn’t quite put into words, but he felt warm and light inside while also missing Poppy and hoping her work was going well and while he knew it was selfish he wished he was by her side instead. He was surprised by how keen the feeling was of missing and worrying about her. But he knew, no, felt…that she was alright and he would get to see her soon. It kept him going while his team explored.

Branch and his team made it back above to the surface of the tree and out of the tunnels a few minutes after lunch had started, a little after noon. He told them to have a good lunch and watched as they split apart to find family and friends.

He looked around and everything seemed calm and happy.

Suddenly left alone, Branch’s smile disappeared and he felt lonely as he walked out towards the small crowds around the tree tunnel’s entrance looking for a familiar face to calm his anxiety. He caught sight of a familiar pink shape and smiled again, rushing over.

He found Poppy and the pack having a picnic not far off in the shade of leaves that led to their housing branch.

“Branch!” Poppy exclaimed leaping to her feet and rushing to him to give him a hug. She had been waiting for him, watching for his arrival.

His arms were already open as he caught her and they twirled around for a second. He set her down after a good twirl and pressed his head to hers, their noses squished together and he sighed relieved. It was such a freeing feeling and she was safe in his arms, all his worries for not.

“I missed you,” he whispered, smiling sheepishly. He opened his eyes and looked into hers. “How did it go?”

She was beaming happily, her hands coming up to cup his cheeks and he leaned into the touch.

“I missed you too,” she whispered before her voice picked up volume. “It went great! After lunch I want you to come with me and dad and the elders to come look at the treaty before we sign it. Will you be free? Oh, but first tell me how your day went so far!”

He smiled glad to have her energy in his presence again, it truly made a difference just being around her.

“It went great,” he started. “All the houses have been assigned and your dad is having his pod moved across the branch from yours. We found some big storage areas inside the tree through the root tunnels and the teams should be getting back some time after lunch with supplies. I can go with you after they are back.”

“Was everyone nice and listened to you?” she asked letting go of his face and looking up at him.

He nodded quietly and she grinned happily.

“Are you alright, Branch?” she suddenly asked, her fingers coming up and touching the lines by his eyes. “You look tense, or a little tired?”

He smiled nervously and took her hands. “I’m a little tired,” he admitted, it had been a lot of interaction in one day when he was so used to none. “But really I was more worried about you,” he admitted with a frown.

“Why?” she asked confused.

He shrugged and scowled ashamed. “Just…the Bergens. You were…well…” he wasn’t sure how to word it and he sighed, bad memories coming to mind but instead of his grandma...he could easily picture Poppy screaming and he shook with fear for a moment at the vision.

She frowned with sympathy and pulled him into a hug. Her voice soft in his right ear. “I get it. But I promise I won’t let myself get eaten, I’ll be careful so don’t worry.”

He smiled gratefully and hugged her tightly.

“Ehem!”

The pair let go and looked up surprised to see the Snack Pack still sitting some ways away on the picnic blanket, all of them smirking.

“Will you two stop whispering and get over here already?” Suki demanded. “The food is getting cold!”

“Aren’t sandwiches supposed to be cold?” Biggie asked confused.

Everyone started laughing and agreeing and disagreeing over what type of sandwiches should be cold.

“Alright, alright, we’re coming!” Poppy promised, taking Branch’s hand and pulling him along.

They sat down and Branch was handed a sandwich cut in half…triangular cut.

“You know,” he spoke up. “Triangular cut sandwiches are a lot more dangerous with all the pointy edges. A rectangular cut is much safer…” he stopped as he noticed wide eyes staring at him.

“Still taking the fun out of everything,” Poppy suddenly teased.

He sulked looking away and just bit into the sandwich as the others started chuckling. Boy was that embarrassing…

He suddenly felt contact against his side and he swallowed his bite and looked to see Poppy smiling innocently at him.

“Oh, no,” he chaffed with a serious tone. “You’re on my bad side right now.” He suppressed a wicked smile, turning his face away again and keeping his sullen expression.

“Oh come on, Branch! I was just teasing!” she insisted, pulling his arm. “Don’t be such a grouch!”

“Mhmm,” Branch mumbled taking another bite of his sandwich, he was biting the corners off first.

Everyone else had stopped laughing at this point and were staring awkwardly.

“Branch…” Poppy finally looked putout and she bit her lip. “I…I’m sorry.”

He suddenly turned to her swallowing his bite. “Really?” he gave her a bored look.

“Of course!” she said sincerely, scooting a little closer. “If you don’t like something just tell me and I’ll stop,” she insisted. “But I won’t know if you don’t tell me!” she groaned exasperated.

“Alright, I’ll forgive you then, if…” he started but Branch couldn’t help it anymore as a smug smile took his face. “If you go on a date with me tonight, with rectangular cut sandwiches.”

“Ooooh!” the ganged cooed staring at them.

Poppy stared surprised then gave him a dirty look and a mischievous smile. She gave him a shove and he finally let out a laugh.

“Fine, you win. I’ll make the sandwiches.”

He grinned, triumphant.

“Does this mean you two are a thing now?” Satin started.

“As in dating?” Chenille thrilled as both twins let out a squeal, the pack staring with bated breath.

Branch chuckled once and then fell silent, looking only at Poppy with a calm smile and warm blue eyes.

She smiled back, looking only at him as she answered. “Yes, it does.”

“Oh my gah,” Smidge croaked.

“They got that look!” Guy agreed.

The gang started chattering all sort of nonsense and gossip till lunch was over.

Afterwards Branch and Poppy checked on the teams returning with supplies and were glad by what was gathered. It was all immediately stored in several of the storage rooms closest to the root tunnel entrance to the tree. It took about an hour of supervision before all the trolls were left free for the evening. The traveling party for tomorrow was already set. Poppy and Branch along with most of the gang would be the first to go retrieve goods from the old village with the first group of trolls. In the meantime, a few parties were being organized around the tree in celebration of the treaty that would be signed.

It was late afternoon at that point and it was time to head back to the palace, which was thankfully a rather uneventful affair. Peppy, the Elder Trolls, and Branch were all pleased with the treaty Queen Poppy and King Gristle had drafted up and it was signed on a large piece of paper with both ruler’s signatures in short work. A copy would be made for the Trolls to have, hopefully on a smaller sheet of paper. Queen Poppy suggested sending one of their bookmakers to make the scroll tomorrow.

They said goodnight to King Gristle and Bridget who was a bit busy moving her belongings to a nicer room in the castle.

Afterwards, they returned home and it was late into the evening, the sun was setting and Branch already knew where to take Poppy on their first date. He’d been planning it in his head since the words had slipped his mouth before he could even think about what he was saying. He hoped it all went well but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.

 


	6. I Knew I Loved You

* * *

 

Branch was happy he had been able to retrieve his backpack from the root tunnel entrances during the mission earlier in the day. It had been surprisingly a longer walk than he had recalled, sprinting through the tunnels trying to stab Cloud Guy had made it seem like a very short distance. He had already reorganized the bag with some essentials for the date and as he mulled it over he hoped Poppy wouldn’t find it strange. He just liked being prepared.

He slung it over his shoulders and went downstairs to the first floor of his pod. The pod wasn’t quite as homey and welcoming when he was inside it alone, it felt too foreign and even lonelier than his bunker and much less safer.

The door swirled open out of the wall’s mesh and he walked outside feeling the fresh breeze caress his face. It was cool and crisp and the scent of the leaves eased his nerves as he took a deep breath through his noise. The sun was practically gone, only a sliver of orange far into the horizon under a dusky sky.

He realized Peppy’s pod was already across the branch facing Poppy’s pod.

Branch took a left and walked straight down the path to Poppy’s pod right next door. He walked up the smaller branch to her pod and the door swirled open for him.

He froze surprised when he was face to face with the Queen. She was smiling and looking delighted they happened to meet in such a way. In her hands was a picnic basket made from woven strips of dry wood and just from the edges poked out a checker pattern cloth.

“I’m ready for our date,” she declared excited, her voice just holding a hint of nervousness. “And before you ask, yes, all the sandwiches are rectangular cut.”

He chuckled briefly and held his hand out to her. “Ready to go then?”

“Mhmm!” she sounded, taking his hand and stepping out.

He led her quietly along as they began walking down the main branch towards the center of the Troll Tree.

“So where are we going, Branch?” she asked, breaking the silence a few moments later as they walked.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied with a grin.

“Oh, I love surprises!” she said happily, she looked ready to burst. “But I am pretty curious,” she added. “Where can we even go? I don’t think you’re taking me somewhere in Bergen Town.”

She looked at him, her expression clearly thoughtful as she tried to figure out his plan.

“Nope,” he agreed.

“And you wouldn’t be taking out to the forest after the sun has set? Since we don’t know what might be out there around her at night…” she mused contemplating.

“Right again,” he smirked as they kept up the pace towards the center of the tree, holding hands.

“Are we going somewhere through the root tunnels then?” she guessed as they got closer and closer.

“Poppy, for hair’s sake stop trying to guess,” he chuckled amused that she was trying to ruin the surprise.

She giggled and pulled him a little closer with a soft yank of her hand, making him grunt in surprise and nearly trip. “Alright, alright I’ll stop,” she promised.

He gave her a playful glare for trying to trip him before he turned his sights in front of him again.

It was a brisk walk and before they knew it they were before the entrance, Branch pulled out a torch and they began walking back in the way they had come in not long ago. Darkness soon followed but with the torch light the cold was kept at bay along with the night in the tunnels.

Poppy stared around curiously, taking a good look this time around as they walked deeper into the depths. It felt a little cramped and cold and unintentionally she leaned closer to Branch, nervous.

He glanced at her surprised before he smiled softly and gently tightened the embrace their hands were sharing.

At the rate they walked it was soon ten minutes before they diverged in the path that would lead outside. Instead he took her deeper into the earth and she swallowed as it got colder and darker.

“It’s alright, Poppy,” he reassured as they took the new tunnel.

She looked at him with wide eyes before she took a shaky breath.

“I guess I’m just nervous,” she admitted. “I’m not used to being underground…it feels so…”

“Like you might get buried alive?” he guessed.

She looked at him surprised and nodded. She never thought he might have felt that way too.

“It takes some getting used to,” he agreed, listening to their voices echo out in the dark. “Believe me, but once you know and can feel that the walls around you are sound, there is nothing to worry about,” he smiled thinking back when he first had started building his bunker. He looked at her, staring with a gaze that Poppy couldn’t quite describe, like modest seriousness. “Besides, I wouldn’t take you somewhere I knew wasn’t absolutely safe.”

Her expression relaxed and an endearing smile took hold as she nodded to him. She knew that, of course she did and she felt her anxiety start to mellow into reassured calmness. She realized that Branch had a profound effect on her, ever since they got closer on their journey and even more now as they got even closer.

Soon they were at a fork in the road and the path split three ways. She noticed there was writing on the wall, markings that looked fresh.

“Which way now?” she asked looking down all three dark paths. “It feels like we’ve been down here forever. Was this what you and your team explored today?”

“It’s only been over half an hour, Poppy,” he told her amused and pulling her along to the left tunnel. “The team had to split up earlier today to explore the tunnels higher up that we passed. I came down here and explored these tunnels and mapped them out. This way, we’re almost there. I promise it will be worth it,” he said sounding eager.

She grinned, excitement returning now that she knew the journey was almost over.

“Then let’s hurry!” she said suddenly pulling him along down the winding tunnel. “I can’t wait to see whatever it is!”

He laughed as she was suddenly trying to make him race down the tunnel with her, the torch in his hand wavering as the fire threatened to burn out with the wind they made.

“Slow down, Poppy!” he chuckled at her child-like enthusiasm and yanked his arm to slow her down.

She looked back at him confused as they resumed their walking pace.

“You might trip if you run in the dark,” he reminded.

She groaned and rolled her eyes as she smiled affectionately at his caution. “Alright, but I’m tired of being quiet. So tell me what you found in the other two tunnels back there,” she brimmed hoping for an exciting story.

Branch could tell she wanted something exciting so his brow furrowed for a moment as he thought about the exploration. “Hmm…well, one tunnel leads to a dead end that is blocked by a tree root which shouldn’t even reach this deep down,” he started, he was obviously intrigued by the phenomenon. “The other tunnel leads deeper into the earth before it double backs on itself and starts heading towards the surface. It hits this really deep dip which has the signs of an underground reservoir and flood area. There were even some bones down there, probably animals that drowned.”

“Ah, poor animals,” Poppy moped even though she hadn’t seen it.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. “The climb up is pretty steep, but it leads into a part of the forest I haven’t seen before,” he added. “It’s a dark place though, with some creatures I’ve never seen before that I could see from the tunnel entrance.”

“Did you explore around it?” she asked, her eyes shining with wonder.

“No,” he scoffed looking amused. “It looked dangerous and it was pretty dark. I wasn’t about to find out if something there wanted to try me out as a snack.”

Poppy snorted unsurprised as she smiled teasingly. “True and you probably taste a lot better now that you aren’t grey, like a cupcake wrapped in bacon.”

He snorted at her and rolled his eyes. “Is that what you imagine we taste like?” he asked amused she would have even considered that.

“It is,” she smirked. “When I was telling the story of our escape to the kids back in the old village, they asked me what we taste like that the Bergen’s like so much.”

His frown turned partially serious, his eyes distant. “Hmm…well, at least we don’t taste so good that they would rather keep eating us than find their inner happiness themselves.”

“True,” Poppy agreed, the humor leaving her face as she guessed what he was thinking about. She needed a new topic to distract him…

Suddenly her eyes went wide as she noticed soft light pooling into the tunnel just ahead.

“Branch…what is that? Are we there?” she asked mesmerized.

Branch smiled at the sight, tugging her along a little faster. “We’re here.”

The light was a soft glow and it got brighter and brighter, washing the walls with in a silver semblance of moonlight.

Branch tugged her along the last few steps in, the cold air swallowing them in a soft embrace as they entered the cave in the depths of the earth. Their feet now stepping on tender dew kissed moss rather than the cold compact earth.

Poppy’s eyes grew wide. “Wow…”

It was a giant cavern, glowing lights moving and twinkling high above in blue patterns that glistened with silvery highlights. Dripping cavern water echoed in the silence from stalactites to stalagmites below. Mushrooms grew, towering above them like trees of a forest just their size. Soft light filtered from the mushroom caps as luminous life glowed under their sturdy stalks and they were in all forms of color, dominantly soft blues and greens with occasional ones that were yellow with splashes of pink patterns on their caps.

The moss below their feet was a verdant green, and each footstep causes them to pulse with light and strange little wisps to flurry into the air before vanishing.

Not far into the cavern glistened an ever pristine lake that glowing in the bioluminescent world, so clear the silt sand floors looked like an undisturbed glittering desert far below its surface.

Radiant crystal clusters jutted from the earth, some towering even over the glowing mushroom forest. They thrummed with quiet energy, sparkling softly in the light as glowing inspects flittered by on the cool air. Each gem fractured shades of rainbow hues under their clear glassy surface.

“Branch…it’s…it’s so beautiful,” Poppy whispered awestruck, taking slow paces to look around. Her voice echoed in the cave back to his ears.

He smiled, just watching her as she took in the view. He was ever so glad that she loved it, he knew she would. But he was quiet, watching as the glow of the underground world bounced off her body and made her seem like she was surrounded by a halo that was all her own.

She was beautiful and he laughed at himself quietly at the irony that he could look at her now in this light. Not that he always hadn’t, she was just no longer the nightmare he was afraid to let in…now she was the dream he was afraid to lose.

“What’s so funny?” she asked turning around to look at him.

He cleared his throat, realizing he had indeed laughed aloud. He was blushing as he looked down and stabbed the torch into the earth, watching embers fly with the impact.

“Nothing,” he said, pulling off his bag. “I was just thinking about how…you’ve changed for me,” he admitted.

“I’ve changed?” Poppy asked confused, walking back to him. “How?” she tilted her head as she asked.

“Not like that,” he corrected himself. “I mean…” he grunted trying to think of the words as he set his bag down away from the torch. “I just don’t see you the same anymore, that’s what I mean.”

She frowned unsure as she made it to his side and put down the picnic basket by his bag.

“What do you mean, Branch? How did you see me before?”

He smiled amused looking out to the cave. “Insanely happy, for one.”

She giggled at his words and knew he had a point. “And what else, hmm?” she pressed with a raised eyebrow.

He smiled and decided he didn’t want to spoil the moment with her. There was no point to mentioning how everything he could see in her before was what he knew he had lost. “That’s in the past, Poppy. What’s important now is that I saw your true colors.”

Her eyes held surprise but her face quickly softened. “I see your true colors too, Branch.”

Branch smiled at her, filled with happiness he could never adequately capture into words.

“So, do you like where I picked for our first date?” he asked expectantly.

“I _love_ it, Branch,” she sang the middle word, her voice echoing back in the silence and ringing in the cave. She suddenly sucked in a breath of air and shivered.

“It’s a bit nippy,” Branch admitted as she trembled and her hands came up to rub her arms.

“No, it’s alright. Not too cold,” she argued.

He rolled his eyes at her stubbornness and he was already grabbing his bag. He pulled the blanket out of its sleeve and shook it out. Poppy watched him, bemused as he came over and draped it over her shoulders.

Poppy blushed, smiling and pulled it over her body like a cloak.

“Thank you, Branch.”

He nodded silently, his hands trailing over her shoulders for a moment before he went back towards their things. He picked up the basket and realized Poppy was right behind him.

“Time to set up the picnic?” she smiled reaching for the basket first.

He smirked. “Unless you’re not hungry.”

“Definitely could use a snack after that walk,” Poppy admitted with a giggle as she opened the lid to the basket.

They set out the blanket and pulled out a big leaf wrap fill with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, rectangular cut which made him smirk. Before Branch sat down he pulled out the second blanket he had packed and wrapped it around himself. But Poppy had other ideas.

The moment he sat down next to her on the picnic blanket, she pulled him into a hug, wrapping her blanket around him. He chuckled but before he could say anything, her hug time bracelet dinged as the bright pink little flower bloomed.

“Look at that! Looks like we beat it,” she snickered and he snorted in amused agreement. He picked up his arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her closer with his own blanket too.

They looked out over the crystal clear lake and the glittering sands below its surface, just watching the luminous world around them breathe and move.

Branch took a bite of his sandwich and while he chewed his eyes would turn away from the view to her. She caught his gaze and turned to look at him, smiling, and he blushed in return and tried to pay attention to his food.

He took another bite and realized she was still watching him.

Swallowing he turned to look at her perplexed. “What is it?”

She shrugged. “I just wanted to stare.”

He flushed and felt hot under his blanket. What should he even say to that? “Can’t get enough of my good looks?” he smirked trying to defuse the tension he felt. In the back of his mind some voice was yelling for saying something so stupid and self-absorbed. But he honestly couldn’t think of anything else at the moment except dry humor at his own expense…

“Hmmm…” she mulled over and he frowned, worried he had indeed said something very dumb. “I don’t knoooow…” she exaggerated the words. “Maybe it’s your big nose, or your beautiful eyes,” she said smiling.

He stared shocked for a moment then huffed, he wasn’t sure if that was an insult or what about his nose but it made him self-conscious. “Thanks, Poppy,” he said sarcastically, looking away.

She snickered. “Oh come on, Branch. You have to know how handsome you are, any troll can tell you that.”

He tried not to smile and did not at all succeed too well as he looked at her again. “Well, you already know you’re beautiful, Poppy. But I’ve always thought that of you.”

Her smile had mischief in it now and he was worried where that might lead.

“Tell me what you think is beautiful about me, Branch,” she insisted and his face became hot with embarrassment. “Please? And I don’t mean what you already told King Gristle.”

Branch scoffed nervously and rolled his eyes. So, she was trying to embarrass him, eh? Well, it was working. But…he knew how to turn that around on her now and his smile said as much as he put his sandwich down.

Poppy stared, looking nervous and excited as he cleared his throat. What she didn’t expect next was the softness of his voice coming out in song.

_Maybe it's intuition_  
_But some things you just don't question_  
_Like in your eyes_

His hand came up to cup her face and Poppy was already breathless, listening to the sweetness of his voice as she let out a long held breath.

  
_I see my future in an instant_  
_and there it goes_  
_I think I've found my best friend_  
_I know that it might sound more than_  
_a little crazy but I believe_

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life_

Suddenly she was pulled up to her feet, his song echoing back in a resounding chorus in her ears as if the cave was singing with him.

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life_

_There's just no rhyme or reason_  
_only this sense of completion_  
_and in your eyes_  
_I see the missing pieces_  
_I'm searching for_  
_I think I found my way home_  
_I know that it might sound more than_  
_a little crazy but I believe_

They were dancing slowly over the moss covered floor and the echoes were building. The crystals had begun shifting in color, pulsing to the notes of music. The lights in the cave were dancing with them and Poppy began to sing the chorus with him. They were glowing again, just like their first song again.

 _I knew I loved you before I met you_  
_I think I dreamed you into life_  
_I knew I loved you before I met you_  
_I have been waiting all my life_

Branch’s voice picked up in passion and she fell silent as he sung the next lines.

_A thousand angels dance around you  
I am complete now that I found you_

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life_

Poppy couldn’t hold back her voice anymore as she spun in time with her soul mate as the luminous world echoed their song in colors. Her soul was just ringing, singing to his words.

  
_I knew I loved you before I met you_  
_I have been waiting all my life_

_I knew I loved you before I met you_

_I knew I loved you before I met you…*_

Their voices echoed out on the last notes, ringing softly in the echoing, bouncing off the walls and water. They quietly hummed the last of the notes, repeating the chords in a murmur as they took the last twirl of their slow dance and the moss left glowing behind their steps.

They stared at one another and Poppy just like Branch, found her heart pacing at a new beat. She looked up and he looked with her as they finally took notice of how the cave had changed for their song. A quiet sigh interrupted the silence as Poppy relaxed in his arms, her heart still singing inside. She wanted to start another song, one for him.

“Did that answer your question, Poppy?” he asked softly his voice still catching up from the song.

Poppy turned to look at him, smiling tenderly.

She leaned in and he sucked in a sharp breath in shock and anticipation.

Their lips met and the fire that seared at the contact had them both closing their eyes and a quiet moan slipping out with their breaths. Branch wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight against his body. Her own hands cupped his face as she refused to let him go, as if he would pull away. No, he sunk into their first kiss as did she, lost to the passion of the moment and emotions burning between them at the connection as their hearts reached out for each other.

Something seemed to shift in that moment, a searing white hot fire that kindled to life in their bodies, in their souls. A connection that burned to life beyond intimate physical contact that left them both equally breathless as they kissed with increasing passion in a kiss that was soft yet hungry as their lips danced against each other.

Neither of them kept track of time, lost in one of those moments one wished they could stop time for. But soon the intensity was too much even if the pace didn’t picked up, their hearts hammering and both panting as they broke apart the connection at the same time.

Branch opened his eyes, staring almost with fear and wonder at what just happened. He couldn’t even begin to explain it but it had felt more powerful than just a kiss. He looked up, chuckling and noticing their hair had wrapped around each other and they were still slightly glowing from their skin. He couldn’t even find the words to describe it as Poppy stared into his eyes and he turned to stare into hers, her hands still gently cupping his face as she leaned in.

“It did, Branch,” she smiled, beloved endearment echoing in the whisper of her voice as their noses pressed together and he smiled.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Song & lyrics by Savage Garden. Song: I Knew I Loved You.


	7. The Bandwagon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: Spears are taller than the user because they are meant for throwing and reach, it has little to do with the height of the user but its function, it is part of its design. This is based on medieval and prehistoric weaponry from Europe, common designs used in China, and most ancient civilizations where the average spear is around +9ft in length on average with some even reaching 12ft, well beyond average human height which was about 5ft and 6-10in for men in those eras of history if not shorter or taller depending on regional demographics. Now, let us transfer this observation logically to the universe of Trolls when it comes to weaponry.

* * *

 

The wagons bounced yet again over some stones along their path, making the trolls onboard jump yet again into the air. Some of them had even made a game out of it including the Snack Pack. Branch just watched from the back of the wagon with amusement, his eyes on Poppy as she glowed in the morning sunlight. He had a map folded out in his hands along with his compass.

He looked up then, looking at the Bergen that pushed the wagon forward and through the forest. The Bergen had a friendly enough smile and was whistling to a tune as he looked around.

With a slight frown Branch fixed his gaze ahead and let himself get lost in thought.

He was still reeling from last night’s date and just thinking about it and staring at Poppy he felt his heart pick up in pace, his breath hitch, and his face flush.

And as if she knew, she turned her head and smiled at him.

He gulped nervously as his eyes went wide and he shot his gaze down to the map, pretending he was reading it instead.

After the kiss, they both had been a bit too nervous to hold a proper conversation and it was only getting later and colder. So they ended the date and had returned home, well…more like they returned to Branch’s pod and spent the night together, _again_. Cuddling and falling asleep after Poppy had sung him a lullaby which he had loved.

He remembered fondly how his own grandmother had sung to him to go to sleep. It had been many years since he had fallen asleep to a soft melody like that. He thought being with Poppy alone couldn’t get any more peaceful…she had proved him wrong last night, again, with her singing.

At least they hadn’t woken up this morning with his drool in her hair…well, at least not too much of it.

He smiled, looking at the map absently but then realized he still felt eyes on him.

He looked up and found her still glancing at him, smiling too. He smiled back and then her attention was pulled away by Suki who was talking to her.

Branch frowned, wondering what they were talking about. His ears perked up and moved forward as he listened in with his acute hearing.

“Poppy, you didn’t tell us how the date went last night with Branch,” Suki reminded. “It’s been so busy since this morning.”

Fuzzbert made a guttural sound beside them in agreement.

“Yeah! We want to hear!” Satin and Chenille agreed.

“Where did you two go?” Biggie asked.

Poppy smiled, happy to share with her eager friends. “We went to go have a picnic in a cave Branch found in the root tunnels,” she started.

“The root tunnels?” Cooper echoed confused, making a face. “That’s not very romantic. It’s cold and dark down there.”

The others looked on confused too, nodding in agreement even as Poppy kept beaming.

“No!” she giggled. “It was beautiful guys! You should have seen it. It was this entire world inside the cave! There were cute little firefly-like critters, the moss was soft and glowed and there was this forest of glowing mushrooms. And these huge beautiful crystals that sparkle when you sing and this _huge_ underwater lake that is so clear you can see the bottom and it looks like sand with glitter.”

“Glitter?” Guy repeated, excited.

“Yes!” Poppy affirmed.

“Wow,” some of them uttered together.

The gang was staring on in awe. Branch from behind his map, was smirking, just listening to how Poppy described it. He was just happy she had liked it so much, he really would have hated himself if he had picked a bad first date. He had wanted something memorable for her, for them…and he got more than he had been hoping for.

“You guys sang, _together?_ ” Suki asked, looking on brightly with significance behind the word. Being able to share a song and sing together in harmony was very important for any troll couple after all.

Poppy smiled but then paused, blushing slightly. “Yes, well…Branch is the one that started singing first. We noticed the way the cave changed after we had finished singing…we were,” she paused, sounding dreamy, “too into the song to notice anything but each other.”

“Awww!” they started to sigh, some even putting their hands over their hearts and glancing over at Branch and then at Poppy.

“Wow, he’s really changed, hasn’t he?” Cooper asked still amazed.

Branch frowned at this. Was it really that weird? He guessed it was if he looked back on his behavior, even as natural as it felt now to be as he was. Was that…bad? No, it couldn’t be. Right?

Poppy glanced back at Branch, thoughtful as she looked at him.

Branch’s face warped with sudden surprise as she looked at him and he shoved the map higher up to cover his face. Only his hair could be seen now.

He heard her giggle and slowly lowered the map to his nose to see she had turned back around to the others.

“He hasn’t really changed, he’s still Branch,” she said affectionately.

“Call it what you want girl, he’s changed,” Suki chuckled.

“No, he’s just happy now,” Poppy argued amicably.

“I think Poppy is right,” Biggie added. “He’s still Branch, he’s just happy Branch now and not grey Branch, that’s all.”

Branch sort of smiled as he heard this and the group began to nod and agree.

“But did you two _finally_ kiss?” Smidge suddenly demanded.

Poppy balked and stared with wide eyes, clearly caught off guard and suddenly embarrassed. Branch had frozen behind his map, feeling like his hands were getting clammy all of a sudden.

“Yeah! Did you?” the twins demanded together.

“I hope so,” Smidge griped. “I give you two a mushroom all to yourselves and all you two did was hug,” she complained.

The gang started to giggle and agree. Branch was blushing hard behind his map just like Poppy was before their friends. Boy, were they persistent.

Poppy finally seemed to snap out of it, rolled her eyes and her optimism was back. “Alright, you nosey-bugs! Yes, we kissed last night.”

Hollers and delighted shrieks came from the group. Branch groaned and buried his face into the map, not sure how Poppy managed to even say that with such a straight face. He could never reveal something so private and intimate with such candor.

“How was it? Tell us!” Suki insisted.

“It was…” Poppy trailed off into silence, looking up at the sky and trees, thinking.

Branch swallowed, somehow nervous as he lowered his map further to stare. His hands were suddenly clenching the edges of the paper a little too hard and the compass in his right hand over the map.

“It was magical,” Poppy finally sighed, her hands together as she swayed for a moment.

The Snack Pack was just looking on with amazement and Branch sighed in relief. He felt his heart calm down from the anticipation as a smile took hold. He noticed he was crumpling the map and loosened his grip as he thought on Poppy’s words. She was right, magical was the only way to describe it.

“Poppy, you two have it bad,” Suki sighed, delighted.

Branch had to strain his hearing almost missing the words even as his ears stayed perked up.

“What?” Poppy asked innocently.

“Love,” the twins added. Why was everyone talking so quietly all of a sudden?

“How lucky,” Biggie agreed.

Poppy was smiling at this, biting her lip and it looked like she couldn’t contain herself. Then she suddenly hopped in the air with excited energy. “Oh! Guys, that reminds me…our hair even got all tangled up when it happened!”

“It did what?” Guy asked making a confused face.

“Were you two glowing again?” Biggie asked.

“Yes!” Poppy said in an instant.

Clear gasps came around the group.

“Just like in the pot the chef put us in the other day,” Suki said surprised. “When you two started singing together, you both just got…brighter together.”

“I know!” Poppy agreed excitedly.

“Does…” Guy started, unsure.

“It mean what we think it means?” Cooper finished excitedly.

“I think so!” Poppy agreed, hopping again sounding like she might scream.

 _Oh, for hair’s sake! What!?_ Branch thought with anticipation and exasperation.

“Soul mates!” the twins suddenly squealed, looking at each other.

 _Oh…_ Branch paused, relaxing again. Poppy had already mentioned that to him. Just…what did it mean exactly, though? He had a rough idea…but he wanted to understand their excitement over it.

Branch kept listening but he looked away, making a face as he thought about it.

“That is so rare!” Suki suddenly gasped happily. “I’m so happy for you two! You can’t ask to be any luckier! Oh, I’m even a bit jealous!”

“Aren’t we all, girl?” Satin added amused.

“Who wouldn’t be!” Chenille agreed. “To find that one troll that just completes you, balances you out and fills you with happiness, not to mention being the perfect singing and dancing partner…” she sighed, leaning against her twin.

“It’s amazing!” Biggie said, snuggling Mr. Dinkles close.

“To think it was Branch this whole time,” Cooper laughed. “It couldn’t be anyone more opposite and wrong for Poppy! I mean it’s just…”

Suddenly Branch was snapped out of his thoughts and he scowled, looking back over at the group. What was _that_ supposed to mean?

“Shh! Cooper!” the gang suddenly reaching up to cover his mouth as usual except for Poppy who was looking shocked and confused.

Guy suddenly pointed in Branch’s direction. Cooper glanced over at the glaring blue troll and Branch suddenly realized they all knew he had been listening in.

Scowling and embarrassed he slapped the map shut between his hands and turned away. He tucked the map under his arm and leapt up and grabbed onto a groove in the metal that made the wagon’s interior. He began climbing up by using the imperfections in the metal as anchor points.

“Branch! Wait!” Poppy called after him.

“Man, I didn’t mean it like that, Branch!” Cooper was suddenly calling out after him too. “I’m sorry, I just meant the grey you, before now, you know? It’s just none of us would have guessed!”

Branch huffed, blowing the air out of his cheeks and ignored him. He made it to the top of the wagon just as he heard more loud voices.

“Great going, Cooper!” Suki scolded loudly.

“Saying mean things about our friend,” the twins scolded, disappointed.

“I didn’t mean it like that…” Cooper moped. He knew he sometimes spoke without really thinking… But he never meant any harm by it.

“I’ll go talk to him guys, don’t worry,” Poppy soothed.

Branch was already walking along the edge of the wagon to the farther end, away from everyone.

“Tell him, I’m sorry!” Cooper yelled as Poppy rushed off.

Branch rolled his eyes, as if he couldn’t hear him! He didn’t even know why he was upset, but he was. Just something about the giraffe troll’s words had pricked him in a sensitive spot.

Wrong…

He finally made it to the end of the wagon, looking out towards the forest ahead. With a sigh he plopped down and unfolded his map again, actually trying to look at it.

It looked like a jumble mess of lines and drawings. Nothing made sense, not even north or south.

Wrong…for Poppy? He certainly had considered that thought before, but not as loudly as he did now. Was he still wrong for her even now? Even as a happy troll? He felt his heart ache, unsure of the answer.

A pink hand touched his arm, a voice making him look up.

“Branch?”

“Yeah?”

“Cooper didn’t mean it, Branch,” she smiled sitting down next to him, their shoulders touching.

Branch made a gruff noise, sounding unconvinced as he looked back at his map.

“Come on, Branch,” Poppy sighed. “Talk to me, I know you heard him say he was sorry. What’s wrong?”

Branch let out a loud sigh, closing his map in defeat. He was quiet for a minute and she waited, her hand still touching his arm. It was warm, soothing.

“I thought the same thing he did at one point, that is all,” Branch admitted wearily. “Whenever I thought about getting close to you…to stop pushing you away… I couldn’t do it, because I didn’t think I was even a good friend for you or anyone to have. And what if I’m still not…?”

“You’re wrong,” she said sternly. He looked up at her, surprised.

As he met her gaze, she smiled. “Branch what more proof do you need?” she asked looking down at his arm, her touch moving up his skin and making him shiver. “Just look at yourself and inside yourself. Just…think about our colors, how we made them shine through together, what you did for me and everyone back in that pot. Whenever you think badly of yourself, just remember that. And remember…” she shrugged, blushing. “Remember that I love you and that our souls, that we, were meant for each other.”

Branch stared, speechless. It was so odd hearing her say that she loved him in a normal conversation. His heart raced with those words alone and it raced even faster after the words she had offered him in comfort.

Was it alright to think that then? Everything she had just said? He hoped…it was.

He smiled, his arm wrapping around her in a hug to bring her closer. “I love you too, Poppy. And…you’re right, thank you,” he smiled, he leaned in and their faces touched.

“Does that mean I’m forgiven?”

“Ugh!” Branch muttered under his breath, letting go of Poppy and rolling his eyes as Cooper’s voice suddenly came from somewhere below. “Yes, Cooper!” Branch called exasperated without turning around.

He heard cheering and his hand with the map still in hold, came up and slapped his face as he groaned into the paper.

 _Of course_ the whole group was standing right behind them below in the wagon and listening to everything! Could a troll not get any privacy around here? He wanted to yell and just hide in some hole right now.

Poppy giggled next to him, never seeming that bothered.

He pulled his hand away from his face and sighed as he looked over and began to yell.

“Would you guys, _please_ , give us some…!”

Branch stopped midway in his sentence as a glinting white light caught his attention on a patch of green earth they were passing by. Blinding him momentarily and making him wince.

He suddenly stood up. “Wait! Stop the wagon!” he called loudly to the Bergen who suddenly stopped confused.

“Hu?”

Branch ignored him as the wheels came to a grounding stop making the wagon jarred for a moment and he suddenly leapt off before he could lose his balance.

“Branch! What is it?” Poppy called after him, alarmed.

He landed with a solid thud, feeling the impact of the earth quake up his body as he landed on his two feet and one of his hands on the ground.

“I don’t know,” he called back as he suddenly surged and raced forward.

He slowed down half way to his destination as sudden caution took him. He squinted his eyes against the glare as he approached it.

He walked forward, frowning as he came up to the blades of grass and moved one of the blades aside. Alert, he stared down at a silvery weapon, a long spear while footstep raced to catch up with him.

“What is it, Branch?” Poppy panted as she came up to his side and her hand touched his shoulder.

“A weapon,” Branch muttered as he gingerly picked it up, feeling its weight.

“A weapon?” Smidge suddenly piped in.

Branch nodded, twirling the weapon in his grip before he smacked the bottom of the rod into the ground and stared up, it was slightly taller than him as it should be, but lighter than the spears he had back home. The leather was supple to the touch around the wooden shaft and half way up, shining metal jutted out to a fierce point. It wasn’t rusted, aged, or damaged by the elements and he knew that meant it hadn’t been here very long. In fact, he’d wager it was lost here quiet recently, maybe even today. Which meant the owner might still be nearby…

“What is a weapon doing out here?” Poppy asked confused. “What even left it out here?”

“Trolls,” Branch muttered, suddenly looking around warily and slowly.

His ears were perked straight and swiveling, trying to catch any unusual sounds. There were no signs of a fight…There were no tracks nearby either as far as he could see around them, which was…odd, in his opinion. Maybe it had been dropped from up high…?

“Other trolls?” Suki asked surprised. “But we don’t use weapons though.”

“No, _our_ village doesn’t use weapons,” Branch corrected, well most of them. He on the other hand had been using them for many years. “But we are not the only troll civilization out there. There can be ones that do use weapons,” he rationalized.

“We haven’t seen or heard of another troll village since before the Troll Tree was taken by the Bergens almost twenty-five years ago…” Poppy mulled over, then sudden excitement made her bounce. “We might get to meet other trolls!”

Branch frowned, ripping his eyes away from the forest to look at his mate. “Poppy, these trolls might be dangerous. We should be careful if we come across them.” _Or if they come across us, it’s too close to the old village for my liking…_ he thought to himself.

She frowned at this, looking over the forest too but seeing nothing out of the ordinary at first glance. “But trolls are friendly, Branch,” she insisted.

He groaned, shaking his head for a moment. How could she always look at the bright side? He got it a bit better now, but still…she was ever so naïve sometimes… At least it didn’t frustrate him as it once had.

“Poppy, we don’t know that. _Our_ trolls are friendly, that doesn’t mean it’s true about all trolls,” he tried to reason with her, hoping she’d see his cautionary point unlike before their mission, as he looked into her eyes.

Poppy frowned clearly troubled as she stared back. “But all trolls…are good…” she argued weakly, looking away and then she grimaced. She nodded silently to herself, and suddenly her voice was stronger as she looked at Branch with determined, fiery eyes. “No, you’re right, Branch. But if we meet them we should be friendly anyways and hope they are too. Maybe they just like to be prepared, like you do.”

He smiled in relief, glad she had seen his point and nodded in agreement. He wasn’t entirely sure, however. He could only hope that she might be right, just like she had taught him to do by her example. He looked back at the worried looks the Snack Pack had and then back to the other wagon with trolls in it looking over the edge at them concerned and muttering to each other.

“Come on, let’s get back on the road,” he said trying not to sound so grim and even tried smiling at his friends. Worry, however, gnawed at the back of his mind and muddled the brightness in his blue eyes.

Poppy smiled and nodded, taking his hand and he could see her worry too just like she saw his. In his other hand he carried the spear tightly in his grip as they walked back towards their wagon.


	8. Secret's of the Bunker

“Poppy, you don’t need to help me,” Branch insisted as they walked towards the entrance of his bunker. “I have a lot more things than you do,” he pointed out.

“You are not changing my mind, Branch,” she argued walking just behind him, glancing occasionally at the spear in his hand. “You helped me move my things to the wagon, it’s only fair.”

He sighed and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

Her things had been easy to move however, it was mostly clothes, scrapbooks and materials, and her personal belongings. Then her father’s belongings so he wouldn’t have to make the trip. Poppy was now wearing one of her old blue dresses which reminded Branch he needed to change too.

Since they had arrived everyone had been hard at work moving and picking up the mess that the village had become thanks to the chef. With how much work that needed to be done the two Bergens had only looked around before they left to go back home. They would be back tomorrow with the second group of trolls and take the first group back home with their things.

They had been working since the afternoon, only taking a lunch break and now it was late into the evening. Everyone was nearly done cleaning and moving things, even gathering up some of the critters that had run away. Branch had left his bunker for last on his to-do-list while he had helped Poppy and the rest. He knew his place would be a lot harder to deal with, he wanted to take most of his remaining supplies and tools with him and he knew that would be a lot of work.

He looked for the secret button on the boulder and a loud cranking had the stone door moving to the side. He looked up at the bush that covered his place and the periscopes hidden in the shade of the leaves for a moment before walking in and unlocking the other security doors. While he was at it, he taught Poppy the combination numbers and where the hidden keys and switches were.

The entrance was still littered with traps as he made it to the elevator with Poppy at his side.

She chuckled to herself as she looked around and he glanced at her confused.

She shrugged and he smirked at their silent exchange as he pulled the lever. The loud sound of the mechanisms began to hum and the floor gave way below them as the platform began to move.

“So, what will we be moving?” she asked, curious. “We can ask our friends for help and the other trolls too, I’m sure they won’t mind.”

“Let’s wait on that for a bit,” Branch sighed a bit tired but happy.

Poppy looked at him curiously and realizing he looked relaxed and comfortable as he looked at the familiar walls with glowing yellow mushrooms of the elevator shaft. He was happy to be home and she smiled at that.

“I want to show you some things first now that we are alone,” he continued.

She straightened up surprised and ended up smiling excitedly.

The platform settled into the base floor with a thud and Branch looked over into the main room and balked. He forgot what a mess the place had been left in after his unwelcomed visitors had arrived. It looks like they had tried to tidy up…but there were still bottles on the floor, the trash bin and shoot was overflowing…

“Uh…” Poppy mumbled a bit troubled. “I’m sorry about that…I didn’t think they would make such a mess… I think they were just excited to be safe.”

He groaned and shook his head. “It’s fine Poppy, they needed to be safe and this was the best place for it,” he admitted begrudgingly.

She smiled at him, relieved he was forgiving her.

“Come on,” he sighed not wanting to look at the mess anymore. He left the spear against the wall and dropped off his backpack as well.

He led her to a far wall on the right after picking up a key ring hidden behind a false wall in one of the cubbies. He pulled a hidden lever in another cubby against the wall and revealed a hallway that led deeper into the bunker. Thankfully, he noticed none of the trolls had made it past the main room of the bunker. The secret passages to the other rooms were well hidden by secret doors, panels, and plenty of combination or key locks.

“Oooh,” Poppy said quickly following him into the secret hallway. “Where are we going?”

“My room,” he said simply. “I’ll show you right now.”

She smiled excitedly, wondering what his room looked like. She started speculating trap doors, a bed hidden into the wall, supplies lined up and traps…

When he opened the door just down the hallways she had to admit she might have looked a little disappointed.

It was simple inside, a desk with a lamp and stool. A simple bed with an arching bookcase over it with tons of books and a glowing mushroom lamp just above the pillow… The green rug on the floor, blankets folded in a pile, a few large boxes against the wall and a wooden door to the restroom in the far back of the room. The closet was open with all his same clothes hanging or folded, just his patchy shorts and his regular leafy vests that made her chuckle as she saw how many there were.

“Expecting traps and secrets?” he teased looking at her as they walked in.

“Maybe,” she agreed as she watched him move to his closet.

He snorted quietly at her in amusement as he picked out some clothes from the closet.

“I’ll be right back, try not to…well,” he frowned and then seeming to be lost in his own sentence and just walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

Poppy smiled and ventured to the bookshelf, there were tons of books and she swore she never had seen so many in one shelf before. She had visited the troll library from time to time of course, but she never would have guessed Branch had so many of his own books. His desk however, had her more curious. The pens, the paper, rulers, a compass, the journals lined up and plans sketched and drafted on sheets…

It wasn’t long before Branch came out looking like his usual self and was patting the clothes straight, seeming pleased. He tossed the other clothes into the nearby hamper before he walked over to her as she looked at his desk.

He looked a little worried as she stared and then realized she hadn’t touched anything.

“What are these?” she asked curiously.

“Oh, I was planning on making the bunker bigger, add some more storage rooms and I was working on an underground garden for mushrooms, herbs, and other plants that don’t need a lot of light. But I was actually going to make a tunnel system of mirrors to bring sunlight all the way down here…” he explained excitedly to her, smiling, until he frowned realizing he no longer needed to complete them. It was…strangely disappointing.

“That’s amazing, Branch!”

He smiled and shrugged. “I guess…but, I don’t have to do that anymore.”

He walked away and Poppy frowned, staring after him and suddenly she could feel…his sadness? She was sure of it. Her heart was aching with a lonely and lost feeling in her chest. It felt so strong.

She walked over to him and grabbed his hand and looked up at him brightly, trying to cheer him up. She had to try. She couldn’t leave him feeling like he had lost everything he had ever done.

“Why not?” she asked him, smiling. “You can make a lot of these things back in the village and we’ll all help you. If we have more underground storage rooms and even gardens…we won’t need to worry so much about being cut off from the forest. Imagine how great all of this can be for the village! Nothing will ever catch us unprepared again! We can even make a bunker for emergencies!”

He stared at her surprised and as he thought about it…his smile grew with excitement. His survival skill could still be very useful and this time, for the whole village. And even a bunker? He liked it.

He nodded to her suddenly and she could feel the strong sense of purpose and joy inside him again. Poppy smiled proudly and was glad she had been able to cheer him up.

“Come on,” he said suddenly pulling her closer to the shelf.

She stared bewildered as he started moving boxes out of the way. He moved one last large box out of the way with a grunt and she noticed a trapdoor was revealed. She leaned in, curious as he knelt and opened it. There was a box and then another smaller box below it that he pulled out, both covered in dirt. He blew on them, most of the dust flew off and the rest he brushed away with his fingers.

Suddenly she recalled what he had said yesterday and anticipation made her stomach feel funny.

“Is that…?”

“Yeah,” he said with reminiscence as he stood up and showed her the box. He opened it and an old hug time bracelet on a light blue cord was revealed. He was right, it was small.

“Do you think it still works?” she asked.

He shrugged as he pulled out and of the box and it easily fit on one of his fingers. “Only one way to find out, we’ll have to wait for the hour to hit.”

She nodded and looked on hopefully, she hoped it did work. “If it doesn’t work I’m sure Mandy can fix it.”

He nodded in agreement, not worried.

“What’s in the other box?” she asked curiously.

Branch frowned as he lifted the box and walked over to the bed. He sat down and placed the other smaller box beside him while he held the larger one between his hands on his lap.

“It’s some things I have left from my grandma and a few things of my parents, though I don’t think anything in here really was my dad’s except the poems and letters,” he smirked as he opened it up.

Poppy sat down next to him, staring into the box curiously.

An old hair brooch that was made of silver metal in a floral patterns with inlaid stones of green, blue, and yellow for the flower shapes caught Poppy’s eye first. There was a bracelet, a lovely ring with a shining stone, letters in old envelopes, a dried flower, a rose preserved in resin… There was even a silvery metal pin with a crest on it of a Troll Tree carved into the dull metal. The box was just full of treasures. There were no pictures though, except one of his grandma and him together in a handmade frame. Poppy had never seen Grandma Rosiepuff, she looked like a kind and warmhearted troll as she held a baby Branch in her arms. Poppy was surprised she had no hug time bracelet on.

But somehow, melancholy was taking hold of her and she frowned as she stared. She began recalling the boxes they had just packed in the wagon. One of them had a picture book with the only photos she had of her mother.

Branch was staring at her now as she looked vacantly ahead with sad, thoughtful eyes. He suddenly cleared his throat, closing the box and she blinked, looking up startled.

“Let’s go make the bracelet bigger. Then I have something…” he blushed and sighed, “a little more embarrassing to show you.”

Poppy stared surprised, then nodded. What did he have to share that he thought was embarrassing, she wondered? He stood up, placing the box on the bed and she followed him out of his room.

They returned to the main bunker and he picked up the spear once more before leading her across to the opposite wall and through another false wall. She followed and soon they turned to the right and up some stairs stone stairs.

The room they entered next had her gasping in surprised. A spinning wheel and cubbies full of needlework supplies and colorful balls of string.

“Wow!” she said, then grinning as she rushed in to take a better look. “Such great colors! Why…” she looked back at him confused. “But you always wear such dull colors, why do you have all this?”

He chuckled and shrugged as he came up to one of the cubbies and took out a box full of different colored bands made of fine woven hair, mostly blues. “I use them for different reasons like color coded strings for my projects.”

“Huh,” she muttered looking over all the colorful string. Satin and Chenille would love this room.

She came back and watched him take out some scissors and a needle and was ready to cut the old band of the bracelet on a work table.

“Wait a second, Branch,” Poppy suddenly said, remembering something. “Isn’t the bracelet made of some kind of special magical troll hair? I remember asking Mandy once…”

“Yeah,” he paused looking at her. “I actually watched her work on it once, I was curious to see if the hair could be used for something else. It’s hair from a breed of special troll llamas, you know, the ones related to Cooper?”

“Oh that’s right! Those were the ones!” she exclaimed suddenly remembering. Then she frowned thoughtfully and looked at him. “You don’t…happen to actually have some of that hair, do you?”

He smirked, pointing to the box. “What do you think this is? I traded for it for some new grooming tools she needed, but that was a while ago.”

“Oh…” Poppy said surprised. “You sure you can do it, then?”

“Only one way to find out,” he said.

He returned his attention to the bracelet, he found the spot where the weaving was held in place and cut it. Then he began weaving the new hair into the band to make it bigger, he used a needle for the smaller parts of the work and Poppy was surprised by how dexterous he was. She never would have pictured him doing something like this. Poppy patiently watched, actually very happy to watch him do some handcrafts, something she could truly appreciate.

“There, done,” he said satisfied after a while later and began putting the tools away.

“Here, let me put it on you,” she said picking up the bracelet.

Branch gave her a regarding look and put out his arm for her. With a smile she slipped it on and straightened it. “There!”

Suddenly the soft ding of her bracelet went off and she looked down at her wrist. She turned and stared at Branch’s wrist as did he, holding their breaths. Nothing happened.

“Looks like I need to ask Mandy to fix it,” he concluded and Poppy pouted.

He smirked and suddenly pulled her into a hug, making her giggle in delighted surprise.

“Come on, let’s go to the armory upstairs and put this spear away,” he said amused, breaking the tight hug a moment later.

“You have an armory?” she asked surprised.

“Sure do,” he said proudly. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

Indeed it was further up the stairs out of the spinning room and past a storage room with some big red fruits, or at least that’s what she thought it was with only a glance into the room. When they came into the armory she couldn’t believe it, he had an entire rack of weapons and a crossbow and bow hung on the wall… There was even a target practice with a Bergen face on it and arrows sticking out everywhere and even a dagger or two…

“Wow…Branch,” she muttered nervously as she looked over the shiny, sharp looking objects. “I didn’t think…” she trailed off.

“That I was this paranoid?” he finished looking back at her as he placed the new spear on the rack. He didn’t seem bothered by her observation and he was smiling sheepishly in fact.

She let out a nervous laugh and nodded guiltily.

“Well if you think this is bad, I shouldn’t show you the room with the canon and bombs,” he chuckled.

“You have _bombs_ down here?!” she suddenly yelled, eyes wide with shock.

He winced and fingered the inside of his ear to get out the echoing. _Maybe_ telling her that had been a bad idea…

He sighed as he saw her freaked out expression. “Don’t worry, Poppy, they aren’t active. It’s safe,” he promised. “You don’t think I would just leave them around ready to blow up if an earthquake happened to hit, right? Even if my heavily fortified survival bunker is made to be earthquake proof,” he smirked proudly.

She frowned and tried to calm down, but she was nervous now…but she trusted Branch. She closed her eyes, sucked in a deep breath and started to hum, trying to calm herself down.

Branch watched her, smirking and shaking his head affectionately. He reached over and took her hand and she opened her eyes and stopped humming.

“Come on, would you like to see some of the other rooms? I’ll show you the workout room, the storage rooms if you like…and I can show you that the artillery room is safe unless you don’t want to see it,” he promised, trying to persuade her.

She smiled and after letting out a long breath she nodded in agreement as she saw the excitement in his eyes to share his home.

Poppy glanced one more time back at the new spear on the rack, it was skinnier and shinier. It was roughly the same height as the other spears next to it, but just staring at it and it seemed lighter and it looked…like it had been made by a professional, not that Branch’s weapons were shoddy in comparison. But the new spear looked like it had been made by a master and she knew Branch had probably already realized that, just like she was noticing just now. She turned away and let herself be dragged this time out of the room and back to the stairs.

His bunker was truly an amazing feat of ingenuity and engineering. He had everything planned down to the last wire, even plans for any fire hazards with his underground forge and smelter. Even plans for any natural disasters if one should ever hit and which of the multiple escape routes that could be used. She always knew how intelligent and resourceful he was, but seeing the evidence left her a bit in awe and feeling lucky he was hers, and even luckier he would be the king someday.

Now they stood by his table with a lamp and all the periscopes hovering over them. Branch had just finished explaining them and gotten a few woos out of her when she looked through them.

“This…” he started as he walked towards the wall with two shelves, one on top of the other and covered by curtains. “Is what I wanted to show you that’s embarrassing, just promise you won’t laugh,” he said seriously, eyeing her as he held the first pair of curtains, ready to open it.

She giggled and tried to compose herself, but she was excited. She wanted to know the answer to the mystery already! After her voice cleared up she spoke.

“I promise.”

Branch gave her a relieved smile, then turned to the curtains and with one last sigh opened them up. Then his hands shot up and he opened the curtains of the top shelf. He took back a step and he already looked flustered and ready to hide.

Poppy stared, gasping as she saw all the invitations and cards she had given him over the years. All of them intact and in perfect shape, even the ones she had seen him stomp or crush.

“You…you…kept them, Branch?” she turned to stare at him, why did he think she would laugh at this? “You…even fixed the ones you broke?” she asked confused.

He frowned and looked at them, he reached over and ran his fingers over the last invitation she had given him and picked it up.

“Of course I did, Poppy,” he sighed sounding crestfallen. “I’m not blind…I know how much time and effort and heart you put into them just by looking at them. You always went out of the way to make mine special, and at first I found it irritating. I thought you were only being nice because of pity, but…I realized I was wrong after a while…and I couldn’t help keeping them all.”

She didn’t know what to say, but kept looking at them. Her hand was over her chest as she stared, she recognized a birthday card she had made him and an old pizza party invitation when she still had pigtails as a kid…

Suddenly she turned around and rushed to him and pulled him into a hug, her head even bumping into his chin.

“Wow!” came out his started voice as he dropped the invitation and it popped open, singing. “Poppy?”

She smiled and snuggled into him, making him groan confused but not a moment later his arms were around her too. She couldn’t ask for anything more precious at the moment.

“What are you doing?” he asked, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“I just wanted to hug you.”

He chuckled and looked down at the invitation that was just finishing its verse.

“I have something more to show you,” he mentioned absently while she squeezed him.

She let him go a bit reluctantly and then she suddenly bounced a little back so she could look at him. “What is it?”

He smirked and suddenly he was abashed as he went to another curtain covered shelf right next to the ones with the invitations. He pulled the curtain aside and pulled out a blue felt covered journal with a lock on it. He pulled out a key on a red cord necklace and handed them both to her.

“You said you wanted to read some of the poetry I wrote about you…” he said with a slight stutter in his voice. “Well this is the latest of my journals, it’s almost full. So…feel free to read it whenever you want.”

She stared surprised at the book between her hands then looked at the shelf and saw two other journals like it but one had a smoky dark grey cover and the other was brown. There were scrolls of paper and pens and ink bottles and some pencils.

“And those?” she asked quietly.

He glanced back for a moment before answering. “The grey one…” he paused, making an unhappy face. “Is the gloomy stuff, you don’t want to read that, believe me. The other one is just a planning journal with my schedules.” He looked back at her and looked at the key in her hand. “That key however, opens all the locks to my journals. So if you want to read the older ones, just ask,” he finished with a slight smile.

Poppy smiled, hugging the book and key close. She had a soft expression as she put the book down on the little table with the lamp. Stepping forward they reached out at the same time, their hands meeting to hold each other.

Branch smiled at her, simply happy with their time together today. Without realizing it he began to lean in and so did she…

Sudden yelling came down the elevator shaft and echoed in the quiet bunker.

“Queen Poppy! Queen Poppy!” called a voice urgently.

Poppy flinched, recognizing the voice instantly. She raced towards the elevator and Branch was right by her side looking alarmed as well.

“Moxie! What is it?” Poppy called, craning her neck and looking up the shaft to the hole far above. She saw the familiar pink troll staring down with agitated and wide eyes, panting.

“Queen Poppy! These strange trolls in wood, leaf, and metal armor suddenly came out of the trees and they have everyone rounded up and scared! They demand to see you! So I came running over as fast…” she huffed, still trying to catch her breath.

Poppy and Branch shared a quick glance, he was grim and she was anxious.

“We’ll be right up, Moxie!”

“Let me get us some weapons,” Branch growled, taking a step back.

“No, Branch!” Poppy suddenly grabbed his hand. “If we go out there with weapons they might hurt our friends. We should try talking with them, see what they want and show them we’re friendly,” she insisted with wide pleading eyes, trying to hide her fear. But he could feel it, he could feel her worry and he knew…she was right.

They could only hope for the best now. It was too risky to put everyone in more danger and it was only the two of them and Moxie… The odds weren’t in their favor to begin with.

He let out an angry growl past gritted teeth as his fists balled up. He hated this! He wanted to protect her and she wanted to protect everyone and all they would have was their hair! It would have to be enough, it was their best defense.

“Alright, let’s go,” he grumbled tensely.


	9. Unkind Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some terms for clarification. Half-breed (often derogatory) is a used to describe anyone who is of mixed race, example like half Caucasian and half American Native. This does not constitute a hybrid which is the offspring of two different species, such as a mule (a hybrid of a donkey and a horse).

* * *

The path back to the main part of the village was quiet.

Branch was tense with a scowl on his face as he walked slightly behind his Queen. Poppy seemed calm, but she was hiding her anxiety. She was walking with a forced and dignified posture, as if trying to present herself seriously. Branch could feel that her determination was even stronger than her fear just by the air around her, but he was starting to notice he was feeling it…inside of himself, almost as if the emotions were his own. Moxie was just a nervous, fidgety troll walking behind them.

They soon passed the bushes and plants that led to the main clearing of the village. The first thing they noticed was indeed a group of strange trolls surrounding their trolls with spears at the ready.

They all wore strange clothes and armor. Their underclothes seemed to be made of woven leaves and cloth while the wood and metal armor lay on top. The majority of the pieces of their crafted armor were made of plates of carved wood with pieces of silvery metal on top in important places like their chests, shoulders, back, and knees. A crown of metal was atop their brows that wrapped around the backs of their heads but left their hair completely free and standing. Most of them had their faceplates pulled down over their eyes while a few had it up to reveal their faces.

The second thing Poppy and Branch noticed was their more muted and earth tone colors, most of them had dark color shaded skin and dark hair, nothing too bright or overly saturated. Steel blues, dark greens, purples, dark oranges and autumn reds seemed to be the dominate colors among them. All but one troll who had slightly brighter purple skin and dark turquoise hair and nose who wore more elaborate armor than the rest, especially his helmet and he also wore a dark cloak.

Most of them were stocky in build while a few of them were lithe in figure, much like Poppy’s people except these trolls were lean and fit, nothing about them looked soft, not even their hair. But what truly made them look different from the trolls they surrounded were their tapered slightly larger ears and clearly larger noses, which Poppy immediately noticed.

She couldn’t help it. She glanced at Branch with wide eyes, realizing how similar in features they looked to him, especially the ears they shared. The similarity was almost uncanny. And Branch was staring at them too, looking bewildered, as if he was trying to figure out some kind of puzzle or enigma.

Branch had always figured his ears had gotten pointer because they had drooped when he turned grey as a child. But even before then he had noticed he had pointer ears than the other troll children. What was going on?

Not far off was a group of strange large bugs like bees, wearing saddles. They were purple with white stripes, a fuzzy mane around their heads. They had long hummingbird beak snouts, large dragonfly like wings that shimmered even in the weak light and a fierce stinger at the end of their bodies. Their eyes were dark, pitch black.

Voices could be heard rising above the silence.

“We shouldn’t have let her go by herself. She might be getting help, not their leader,” fussed a male swamp green troll with dark purple hair.

“Silence, Moss. We know they don’t have reinforcements nearby,” snapped the troll with the more elaborate armor. Clearly, he was in charge and he seemed calm and confident. The sword on his hip was unsheathed and his left arm with his shield was relaxed by his side.

Suddenly the troll’s purple ears swiveled as did the trolls that were nearest to the path Poppy, Branch, and Moxie were coming from. Steely blue eyes suddenly snapped on them as they approached and not a moment later the eyes of more of the new trolls that turned around to glare with alertness.

The troll with more elaborate armor stepped forward, breaking the circle around their captives.

“Which one of you is the leader of these trolls?” he demanded. He paused, his eyes falling on Branch and they narrowed as he stared at him intently.

Branch glared back, feeling danger burn in his stomach as he balled up his fists.

Poppy didn’t miss the staring and glanced at Branch, her hand gently touching his arm for a moment before she turned to face their guest.

“I am Queen Poppy of the Troll Tree and the trolls here,” she introduced herself, raising her head and speaking with an even tone. “This is our old village and we are friendly trolls. If you need something you just need to ask. Please, stop scaring my people,” she said with real authority.

Branch broke his distrustful stare with the other troll and looked to his mate, he wanted to smile. She was doing so well, he was glad she was becoming more serious when the situation required it like when they saved Bridget. But he couldn’t smile even as he looked at her. His nerves were on end with these trolls standing before them and he didn’t trust them.

The purple troll made a hand gesture and two of his trolls came to flank either side of Poppy, their spears straight in the air and unthreatening, but Branch felt his skin crawl anyways. The purple troll then bowed to her, his hand flourishing over his chest in respectful gesture.

“Your highness,” he said. “Forgive my rudeness, but you are not wearing a crown,” he said, a sneer pulling his lips.

 _That’s it!_ Branch thought, who did this troll think he was mocking Poppy?

“She doesn’t need to wear a crown, her people know who she is,” Branch snapped. “Now who are you and what do you want?”

Poppy turned to glare at Branch nervously, but the other troll moved before she could speak.

The purple troll pulled himself up, scowling as he glanced at Branch with suspicious eyes. He straightened himself and his hands folded behind his back as he looked at Poppy.

“We are looking for a pair of round-ear troll traitors from our kingdom. If you know them hand them over and we’ll leave you alone in peace, I promise.”

The trolls surrounding by the warrior trolls began to murmur confused and concerned, glancing at each other.

Poppy ignore the commotion, her face was solemn and stern and she seemed unmoved by the two warriors just a few feet away from her.

“Tell us who they are and what they did and what you plan to do with them. Our community is a family, even if we have them we won’t give them to you if you are going to hurt them.”

The purple troll openly sneered, an ugly expression that warped his features.

“What we will do with them is none of your business, your highness,” he announced harshly. “They stole something very precious from our people, and that is all you need to know. Are you really going to leave thieves in your midst? Not a very wise queen I must say if you do.”

Branch gritted his teeth, his anger reaching a new point. It felt so out of control, like nothing he had ever felt before. He wanted to just leap forward and choke the savage with his hair as bad of an idea he knew that was. His fingers were so tautly curled he felt the skin might break, what was going on? He didn’t understand his ire, until Poppy took his hand.

He calmed and suddenly realized why his rage was so overwhelming. As their skin touched, he could _feel_ her anger like it was his own and it was suddenly clear where it was coming from through the contact. It wasn’t just his anger and he stared at her surprised, wondering if this was part of being soul mates…? But since when…? He couldn’t understand why he was suddenly feeling her powerful emotions like his own. When had it started…? What had triggered this new bond…?

“Still, they might have had a change of heart,” Poppy argued, sounding ever so calm and composed. Her face softened, becoming pleading. “Please, we can be friends, I’m sure of it. Tell us so we can help you, if they are with us I am sure they’ll give you back what they took.”

The lead troll’s face morphed with disgust. Was she serious? How stupid was this queen? They were surrounded and unarmed and she wanted to be friends, just like that? In all his years he had never met such a naïve troll, these trolls were cursed with an idiot as their queen in his opinion.

“I doubt that, it’s not a matter of what they stole but…” he paused, frowning. “We won’t hurt them,” he said evenly after a moment, his face going blank. “Our King isn’t interested in hurting them but they will answer for their crimes before a hearing, and judgment will be passed by the King. More than that I will not share,” he sniffed. “And if you do have them, they _will_ come back with us. If you refuse, we’ll declare war on you and your people.”

Poppy flinched and her trolls gasped.

“Oh my gah,” Smidge somehow still managed to say over the others.

“Not very smart of you,” Branch retorted.

“Why?” he challenged, looking bored. “We’ve been watching your people for the past few hours from above. You have no patrols, no guards and no weapons. You soft bunch would be easy to conquer in a day compared to kingdoms and beasts we’ve fought before.”

“Our allies the Bergens won’t let you!” Guy shouted from the group.

“Yeah!” the twins agreed loudly. “They’ll stomp you and your poor fashion flat.”

The lead troll rolled his eyes and didn’t even glance back. “You mean those two sluggish brutes that brought you lot here? We’ve dealt with some like them before and worse, they won’t be a problem for us.”

“Oh, yeah! Our Troll Tree is _surrounded_ by them, you won’t get an inch near!” Cooper said smugly and hyper. “They used to eat trolls.”

 _For hair’s sake, shut up Cooper! You’re giving too much information away!_ Branch yelled mentally, desperately glaring at the group between the armored trolls that guarded them.

“Hmm… Interesting,” the leader troll smiled, turning around to finally look at the chattering Snack Pack. His voice drizzled with sarcasm. “Do tell, you mean that decrepit tree in the middle of that town some miles away? Some friends they must be, letting you all live in a dead tree and eating you once? My, my.”

“It’s not dead anymore, it’s green and groovy again just like them,” Cooper sang with a wide grin.

 _Ugh…_ Branch couldn’t help think it but sometimes…their friends were idiots.

“Enough!” Poppy cut in, her voice finally cracking and showing a flare of her temper, she was tired of this and she was starting to feel the fear she had been repressing. Branch could feel her hand shake in his grip. “Tell us who these trolls are already, we don’t need to be mean to each other. I’m sure we can come to a reasonable solution.”

He turned back to the Queen, looking as aloof as ever as he frowned. He lifted his hand and shifted through his armor, pulling out to scroll. He stepped forward and handed them to her, ignoring as Branch stepped forward defensively to her side.

Poppy took the scroll after letting go of Branch’s hand. Branch glared, watching the warrior troll take a few steps back again as he stared impassively at the blue troll with veiled eyes.

A quiet gasp came from Poppy and Branch flinched looking at her and then down to the two paintings in her hands.

His eyes widened in shock.

“Their names are Rosemary and Rosiepuff, and by the look on your faces you do know them,” he said smugly, sounding satisfied like it was long awaited.

The warrior trolls began to exchange excited glances but otherwise did not make a sound.

Branch hardly heard him however, he was reaching forward and took the painting of his grandmother from Poppy’s hands as she stared at him worried.

It was definitely her…the same hair, the same smile… Her clothes were vastly different, not like the lovely knitted sweater with hearts she had worn when he was growing up. He glanced at the other illustration, not recognizing the female troll but…she looked familiar… A soft song, a long lost memory whispering inside his ears… She looked very similar to his grandmother.

Branch finally looked up, his brown pinched over his eyes in a fierce expression. “Why are you looking for her- for them?” he demanded. “My grandma would never have stolen something.”

The lead troll looked stunned and gasps finally came from the armored trolls as they turned to stare at Branch. The purple troll took a step closer and Branch tensed as was he glared down at, being looked over with a scowl.

“Have?” he was questioned.

“She’s dead,” Branch said back bitingly, the pain stinging in his chest as the words slipped past him.

The lead troll finally seemed to show something other than arrogance, he balked, frowning.

“How did she die? How long ago?”

“That’s none of your business,” Branch spat back.

The other troll growled, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his blade. The two glared at each other for a moment and Poppy took a step forward, putting a hand on Branch’s chest and pulling him a little back.

Finally, the other troll relaxed slightly, letting out an annoyed huff.

“It is my business,” he said sourly. “She was my grandmother, too.”

Branch froze, his eyes going wide. No…that wasn’t possible.

He finally heard gasps, coming from their trolls.

The purple troll sighed, he looked tired and his eyes held bitterness and resentment.

“Branch?” he asked, almost acidly.

Branch gulped, Poppy looking between them worried and afraid.

“How- How do you know my name?” Branch asked back warily, shaken.

The troll snorted, looking disappointed and impatient. “How is it that you recognize her and not our mother?” he demanded.

Branch’s eyes widened and he looked to Poppy. She looked up and knew immediately what he wanted and passed him the other drawing. Branch stared at it, stared at his mother and her kind smile for the first time in his life as far as he could remember.

“This…this is my mother? She…” he choked, taking a deep breath. “She was eaten by a Bergen before I could even open my eyes…that’s…that’s what grandma said. To protect us,” he stammered as he looked back up at the other troll.

So that meant…was this troll…?

The purple troll scowled with a foggy and distant look in his eyes. “I see,” was all he muttered, no emotion. Branch felt his fingers curl into the paper with anger, how could this troll act so indifferent? He just found out his mother was dead! “I suppose I should have recognized you, you look like father when he had his colors, even if we are a half-breeds, you look more like him than round-ear mother,” he stated matter-of-fact, like he wasn’t happy to mention it.

Branch felt his anger melt as questions began to burn into existence. Half-breed? What did that even mean? Did it have to do with having sharp ears and the like? He made the difference sound like an insult. He had a family, with this savage troll? What else didn’t he know about himself, of his origins and heritage? He could feel Poppy’s hands on his arm but…it all felt so distant, even her touch as his mind reeled, trying to grasp a new reality.

“Had…?” Branch asked, bewildered. What was going on? Was his father…alive?

The troll snorted. “He lost his colors when mother vanished with you and she did not come back. He lost everything,” he growled, embittered. “You can ask him when we get home, so let’s go,” he ordered taking a step away.

“I’m not going with you.”

The troll stopped, turning an angry glare at him.

Branch himself was surprised but in his heart he knew why. He was afraid, he had so many questions and he didn’t know if he wanted to know the answers. Much less alone in a place he did not know and with trolls he did not trust.

“That wasn’t a suggestion,” the other troll snarled. “You are coming with us, our father ordered it. You want to know what was stolen? _You were_.”

Poppy and Branch stared in surprise, sharing a glance for a moment.

“You can’t make him go with you if he doesn’t want to,” Poppy barked, suddenly fiery as she stared at the other troll. “Branch is an adult and he’s done nothing wrong, he has a right to make his own decisions!”

The other troll growled at her, bearing his teeth.

Branch grimaced, his distrust returning as he put one of his hands on Poppy’s and gave her a determined glance. He really hated this arrogant troll and he didn’t hide it as he looked at him. “I’m not going to lie. I’m curious, but I also have my doubts. I was told my father was eaten just like my mother and I was never told about you. This is my home, my family is here,” he said looking significantly and gently at Poppy for a moment, she smiled back blissfully before he turned his gaze back to the other troll. “I’m not leaving. If father wants to see me, he can come here. We’ll welcome him and all of you…” he paused looking at Poppy for confirmation for assuming such an invitation.

She smiled and nodded to him with reassurance and absolute positivity, there was no guess work to be had. The answer was obvious in her eyes.

The purple troll stepped forward, the hissing of metal whispered in the air. The gleaming blade rose, glinting in the moonlight as Poppy and her trolls gasped as it was raised towards the couple.

“I don’t think you heard me, Branch,” he hissed. “It _wasn’t_ a suggestion.”

His fingers snapped and suddenly Poppy was yanked from Branch’s grip.

Branch gasped, his hair already launching out to help her until hair constricted around his own torso and jerked him backward. He stared wide eyed, mortified, as hair choked around Poppy’s throat and she gagged as she was brought into the grip of the guard flanking her. Before he could even blink the other troll had a dagger to her throat and the shaft of their spear pinning her body to theirs.

And before Branch even knew it, a hand was holding his right arm and the shaft of a spear in his face. Hair wrapped firmly around his body and left arm and he was pressed into something hard, the troll’s armor.

“Poppy!”

“Branch!” she coughed.

“Queen Poppy! Branch!” hysterical cries came from their trolls all at once.

Branch turned a venomous glare on the leader. “Let her go!” he yelled, thrashing against the strong grip holding him down.

The purple troll smirked, his blade already kissing the ground.

“No,” he jeered.

Branch growled, thrashing harder, the troll holding him strengthening his grip and his hair tightened till it was hard to breathe. Branch let out a gasp.

The leader troll smirked, letting out a mocking laugh as he looked at the guard holding the Queen. “Kill her.”

Poppy whimpered, pink eyes wide with terror as her people screeched out horrified as she tried to yank the hair away from her throat with her hands as the dagger got closer, quickly.

“ **NO!** ” Branch howled. “Stop! I’ll go with you! Stop it! Leave her alone!” Tears already rolling desperately down his cheeks as he coughed, fighting for air, fighting to get to her side.

The lead troll lifted his hand and the guard stopped, lowering their blade back down.

He turned a smoldering glare on Branch, steely blue eyes meeting hateful blue eyes.

“Good. But first…” he stepped forward, every step sounded deafening in Branch’s ears as the tension grew thicker as space lessened. The other troll stared straight into his eyes, they were the same height except their hair length and Branch could feel the troll's breath on his face. “If you try to run away, trick us, or make a move on our way home… I’ll personally turn around and cripple you and drag you back with me, _after_ I kill her myself to rid you of the temptation.”

Branch glowered past his blurry gaze, a hateful glare burning deep in his eyes as he gritted his teeth.

“Deal? You can whimper to father all you like once he sees you. After that my mission is over and I could care less. But don’t think you can escape and run back to your little sweetheart Queen. We can cut you all down right here, right now,” he reminded quietly, lifting his blade to Branch’s face. A wicked smile was suddenly creeping across the troll’s purple face. “In fact we wouldn’t mind doing it right now, maybe that’s a better idea. I mean, it would be a boring slaughter but…”

“I promise,” Branch snarled, interrupting him. He was tired of hearing him drone on pointlessly, he got it. “Just leave everyone alone and I won’t fight you,” he said raggedly, using up all of his air.

The troll snorted and his expression was bored again. He looked at the guard holding Branch and nodded.

Branch gasped as the powerful grip suddenly released him and he teetered, almost falling forward as he sucked in a sharp breath. He looked urgently towards Poppy, wanting to rush to her.

“Let me at least say good-bye to her,” he asked grudgingly, hating to beg something so essential from this troll.

The purple troll rolled his eyes and snorted. “You have one minute, move it.”

Branch rushed over without another word as Poppy was released. He caught her in his arms as she slumped forward to her knees, wheezing.

She was in his arms safe and he could feel her shake against him and he couldn’t help shake himself after the fright. He turned his gaze up and glared at the troll that had held her, who only stared vacantly back at him and he realized it was a female. But he didn’t care, he looked back down at Poppy as she coughed and tried to catch her breath as she rubbed her throat.

“Branch,” she finally croaked, looking up at him.

He frowned as he saw the tears in her eyes and reached up to rub them away.

“Don’t do this,” she begged, her fingers tightening on his arms, trembling.

“I have to, Poppy,” he whispered back, torn and his heart aching. “I can’t let them hurt you. And you can’t let them hurt the others.”

She let out a soft cry, burying her head into his chest and he could feel her tears soak into his skin. “It isn’t fair,” she uttered weakly. “Please…there has to be another way.”

He sighed heavily wishing there was as he hugged her close and buried his face into her hair, taking in one last breath of her scent. Wisteria, roses, cherry blossoms…a verdant pink bouquet that was entirely her own perfume he tried to commit to memory. Wishing, there was something he could tell her to comfort her. But he could already feel the loss, they weren’t even apart yet they could both already feel the eminent distance forming between them. It was a familiar black sensation and it yawned like an abyss…ready swallow him again and leave him alone. But so long as she was safe, he could endure it till they could touch each other once more and share an embrace.

“I’ll come back, I promise,” he whispered back. “I’ll do whatever it takes Poppy, to come back. Will you wait for me?”

Her fingers tightened against his leafy vest. “I will always be there for you, Branch. Of course, I’ll wait…or I’ll come get you. I’ll find you alone if I have to,” she vowed, her voice stronger.

He groaned, embracing her a little tighter. “Please don’t be reckless, I can’t live without you.” He pulled his arms away, fumbling with the hug time bracelet on his arm which he pulled off and pressed into her hands. “Promise me, promise me you won’t do anything reckless,” he begged, his eyes afraid.

Poppy looked down at the bracelet then looked back up into his gaze. She nodded once, her cheeks wet and glistening in the moonlight.

“Enough!” Spat a voice and suddenly Branch was yanked to his feet from the back of his vest.

“Branch!” Poppy cried as she fell on her hands and reached out to him with one.

But he was already being shoved away by the purple troll.

“Get on a Buzzlbee and get moving. Moss, Rose, Carter, go with him.”

The troll that had held him and Poppy walked forward and with assertive hands, pressed against his back and led him forward. Branch cast a glance back at Poppy as Moxie helped her up. He frowned and turned away, rubbing his eyes and taking a deep breath as he approached the strange animals with his captors.

He was offered one of the beasts, which was pulled forward by its reins by the swamp green troll who he guessed was Moss.

“Let me help you up, Prince Branch,” the dark red troll offered him that had held Poppy.

“Don’t call me that!” he snapped crossly. “I can get on myself,” he added a little less harshly as the female troll flinched back.

“I’ll have to ride with you,” she said quiet.

“Fine,” he growled, he didn’t care.

He tossed his head and his blue hair whipped out, grabbing the horn of the saddle and he pulled himself up without trouble. He landed on the firm saddle, feeling the texture under his feet and he felt hollow inside as he sat down on the rear of the saddle against the bundle of supplies tied to the beast’s back. The female pulled herself up and took the seat in front of him.

“Hold on tight.”

She snapped the reins and the wings were suddenly moving rapidly on the beast’s sides, stirring the air and making their hair flow behind them as it took off. Two other of the buzzlbees took off with them, both taking flank on either side of the one Branch rode with the stranger warrior. He looked back as the figures dwindled with the distance. The warriors breaking away and letting the trolls go, Poppy staring after him…and leaves obscured the rest and it was gone.

Back on the forest floor, the purple troll was staring after the buzzlbees as they vanished. He looked back at Poppy with a false, friendly smile.

“I’m sorry our first meeting was so…tense, Queen Poppy. I do hope we meet again, under less stressful circumstances.”

Poppy glared, her anger now apparent and unchecked, she was done with manners.

“You better not hurt Branch. I’ll know,” she spat. “And I’ll never forgive you.”

Contempt contorted his face and suddenly silver slashed through the air in a hissing gleam in the night. Poppy screeched in pain, falling back and then hitting something soft.

“Poppy!” the gang yelled, rushing to her.

She was in Moxie’s arms, blinking as pain seared across her face as her right hand trembled with Branch’s bracelet against her heart. Her left hand moved up and her fingers pressed against her cheek, making her hiss in pain as she felt hot moisture cling to her skin. She blinked disoriented, pushing herself up on her feet again and seeing the gleaming red against her fingers. Her eyes went wide with the sight and she couldn’t believe that had just happened.

Looking down she saw the purple troll reaching down and picking up clumps of her pink hair he had sliced from her bangs. He was smirking, tucking it away in his armor along with the two scrolls that had been dropped in the earlier struggle.

“Don’t follow us, round-ears,” was his final _friendly_ warning as he moved out with his men, sheathing his blade and releasing them all.

They mounted their creatures and in a quiet humming they took off into the night.

High in the air, Branch had doubled over in pain. He had a hand pressed over his left cheek and something inside him told him this was _wrong._ All he could think about was Poppy, see her face in his mind, what did it mean? Why was his face suddenly in pain like he had been slapped or worse…?

A loud buzzing was next to them and he looked over at the purple troll, riding a buzzlbee that was a darker purple than the rest, starkly so.

He glared with distrust and suspicion as he removed his hand from his stinging face. They hadn’t been in the air long…Poppy had to be alright. Right…? He could feel it in his heart…something was wrong but she was alive, safe.

“You left them alone, right?” Branch demanded with a hard stare.

The troll turned his head and gave him a lazy look. “Of course I did, I always keep my word.”

Branch snorted, he didn’t believe him but he was a little relieved anyways.

“What’s your name?” Branch asked with an edge to his voice.

The troll smirked and looked at him. Why did he have to look so much like their grandmother? It was a mockery in Branch’s eyes, a cruel joke.

“Thistle, Crown Prince of the Glade Tree Trolls and your older brother.”

“I figured that last part on my own, thanks,” Branch asserted sarcastically.

Thistle grinned. “Don’t start calling me brother.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Branch promised crossly.

Thistle let out a laugh and suddenly his buzzlbee was blazing ahead of them all in the moonlight and the dappled shadows the leaves cast above them, in the forest that raced by from sight.

 

 

 


	10. To Find My Way To You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes on Thistle: I really tried to give Thistle a name starting with a ‘B’ or end with “nch” to keep with the constancy the trolls have with their family names but Birch wasn’t working for me or anything else. No, I kept picturing a prickly plant instead for obvious reasons. So, my logic? The crazy naming streak is unique to Poppy’s people [Poppy, Peppy], [Mandy, Tandy, Candy]… Yeah…I'm just leaving it at that.

* * *

 

“Thank you, Dr. Plum,” Poppy sighed relieved as the ointment on her face stopped the stinging.

“Of course, Queen Poppy,” the purple troll with band aids in her green hair assured. She pressed a fresh band aid to the wound making Poppy flinch for a moment.

“What are we going to do, Poppy?” Biggie asked fretfully.

The Snack Pack and all the other trolls that had come on the first trip where around their Queen who was sitting on a rock next to a fresh campfire in the clearing, worried and fretting.

Poppy usually would have jumped up, ready to proclaim action. But this time, she sat there staring into the fire as she fingered Branch’s bracelet around her wrist with a worried and thoughtful expression. She promised Branch she wouldn’t do anything reckless…but what else could she do? They had taken Branch! She would do anything for him, didn’t he know that? How could she even think of staying put and just waiting for him to come back? They were a team and more, they needed each other and the more distance between them the more her chest ached inside. Of course she was going to go after him! No troll left behind!

“I need to speak to my dad,” she decided, standing up. “We can’t do anything tonight, it’s dark and dangerous out in the forest and we don’t even know where they are going.”

“But what about Branch?” asked a voice in the crowd. Other worried voices chimed in, agreeing.

Poppy smiled softly and looked around at her people, glad to see the other trolls had already accepted him again. He was important to all of them now, not just Poppy.

“We can’t leave him alone with that jerk,” Suki added with a huff. “Someone should have gone with him, he’s all alone! Just look at what that troll did to your face!”

The Snack Pack started to agree, speaking more loudly then the rest.

“They probably wouldn’t have let anyone of us go with them,” Poppy replied troubled. But she didn’t say anymore, she was angry and afraid…afraid for Branch and what that purple troll might do to him. He may have claimed to be his brother but Poppy didn’t believe for one moment that he had Branch’s best interests at heart. “We need to go rest and be up early when the second group comes to switch places with us. I will talk with my dad and see what he might know about these trolls so we can go after Branch…”

Poppy mused for a moment, looking over the crowd as it fell silent and trolls began to nod.

“You don’t think…they will come back, do you?” Guy asked with a fearful squeak in his voice.

Poppy frowned as she noticed the others start to exchange glances. What could she do to reassure them? What would Branch suggest…? Her brow pinched hard as she thought hard and serious on what her cautious mate would tell her. Suddenly she smiled more confidently.

“Don’t worry they probably won’t come back, but just in case let's set up guards.”

The trolls began to murmur with interest and fascination with the idea. She asked for volunteers and even though this was new to all of them, they soon had a schedule and alarm system set with horns and where each troll should be stationed. She wished they had Branch’s skills and experience for such a moment but she did the best she could with the knowledge she had.

Afterwards, everyone was told to pick a pod for the night and rest unless they had guard duty. Poppy however could not find the desire to sleep and she was soon alone, wandering towards Branch’s bunker.

It felt alien inside the bunker without him, not as warm and cozy as he had made it feel with his presence. She picked up the journal he had given her in the main room along with the key. She then found herself drawn to his room even as her heart pulled at a different direction in a strange way that seemed to move like the arrow of a compass. Her heart was heavy and burdened and she couldn’t find a scrap of happiness in the moment, she was almost afraid she might turn grey. But her color remained intact as she looked around his room.

She noticed the two boxes and with a frown rushed over to them. She set down the book and key and picked up the largest box and opened it. She looked inside and gasped when she saw the dull metal medallion, glinting weakly in the light.

She recognized it!

The trolls that had taken Branch had the same crest engraved into their helmets!

Picking it up, Poppy inspected it. It looked like a troll tree, there was nothing in particular to the design itself that was unique except how the branches and roots seemed to curve out to the edges and a four pointed star seemed to rest atop between the leaves. She flipped it over and narrowed her eyes, seeing a faint engraving.

_Branches curve and arc over the blade of bane lay bare. While roots, mighty and old, anchor the earth below. Rest here in the heart of the Tree all the power and joy of Trolls to stop all that is sorrow untold. Only a noble soul, whole and one in self, can free and claim the herald of the Tree with no intent to keep and return all to color and felicity._

Poppy flipped the medallion back over, fingering it in her hands and wondering what those words meant. Was it the crest of the trolls that had taken Branch? Whatever it was, it was important and she was sure of it. She tucked the medallion into her hair and she was ready to show it to her father the next day and hope he might recognize it.

Looking down into the box again she stared at the photo of Grandma Rosiepuff and a small Branch in her arms. Poppy felt tears well up in her eyes and she sniffed, rubbing her eyes.

“I promise I’ll get you back Branch, just hang on.”

She closed the box and tucked it under the bed. She picked up his journal and she laid down, the light above the bed under the arch of the bookshelf lit up and she looked down at the journal curiously. But her curiosity was somewhat meek, she wanted to read it and yet she felt too troubled to do so. She put the book into her hair along with the key and turned off the light.

Even as she closed her eyes, sleep eluded her. Her heart felt too full of turmoil and as she breathed in and concentrated, she soon realized why. Branch was scared too right now, lonely like her and missing her just as she missed him and he could not sleep either.

How…could she reach out to him and comfort him? What was this new feeling in her heart?

By some whim, she began to sing a soft and lonely tune aloud and into her heart and she hoped it would reach him somehow as the words came soon after.

* * *

It was impossible to fall asleep.

It was cold and dark with the soft hum of vibrating wings and silence and it was impossible to fall asleep. Even with the moon sinking in the sky towards the dawn that was still far off.

Branch’s back was pressed up into the bags and he stared tiredly out into the forest that passed by. His face was no longer hurting but it still worried him and his heart felt heavy in his chest. The further he was getting from Poppy the further he felt he was slipping back into a lonely existence, back to grey. Why did this have to happen?

He sighed with frustration and decided he needed a distraction.

He looked to the warrior troll in front of him, driving the buzzlbee they rode. Her name was Rose, as she had introduced herself just a half hour ago followed by silence.

“Why does Thistle claim that my mother and grandma stole me?” he suddenly asked trying not to sound hostile but he still hadn’t forgotten how she had choked Poppy and placed a dagger to her throat, orders or no orders.

Rose visibly stiffened and she glanced back at him for a moment before turning away.

“They just did, I can’t say I know why. I was a kid when it happened and King Oak forbade talking about it. You’ll have to ask him yourself,” she said carefully and quietly.

Branch grimaced suspiciously, he didn’t like her answer one bit. So his father’s name was Oak?

“How long have you- well my family, been looking for…us, me?” he asked next rather awkwardly.

“Almost twenty-five years now,” she said simply without looking at him.

That long? So his entire life. How was that possible?

“How far away is your village? Why did it take so long?”

She was quiet.

Branch waited, frowning and his fingers started to twitch even while folded over his stomach.

“If you fly on a buzzlbee it’s about a week or more from your old village depending on how fast you’re going. By foot, maybe more than a fortnight. The kingdom has searched far and wide for years in all directions, looking.”

 _Two weeks by foot?!_ Branch thought shocked, this was going to be a long trip. He desperately prayed and hoped Poppy didn’t try following but he had a bad feeling she would try despite his words. He knew it was probably foolish to hope otherwise but he hoped anyways that she listened to him for once.

Branch glanced around Rose to the buzzlbee far into the distance with Thistle and his cloak billowing out behind him just like his turquoise hair that looked silvery in the moonlight.

“Just how long has Thistle been out here looking?” Branch asked with a cold edge to his voice. He didn’t image the troll would do something so bothersome for long when he didn’t even really seem to care about finding his family.

Rose glanced back at him and her words were careful and measured as she spoke. “Crown Prince Thistle…has been leading expeditions out here for the past ten years.”

“Ten…” Branch muttered obviously shocked. He glanced at Thistle again who was the same, his ears seemed to be drawn back a little but Branch couldn’t be sure with the angle their ears naturally rested. “That’s a long time,” Branch finally relented looking at Rose as she nodded in agreement. “But you guys must go back home for breaks and to resupply, right?”

She frowned and shook her head. “We only go back when there is something big to report like a new troll village we come across that doesn’t want to cooperate. We survive out here and rarely resupply back home or local villages that are our vassals. Some of us even rotate shifts, only spending a few months out at a time before some else takes our place, but not our Prince. Crown Prince Thistle will usually only go back home to join a war invasion and then go back to scouting afterwards. He hasn’t stayed home for a very long time in the past ten years since he passed his test to be a commander.”

Branch frowned, confused and perplexed more than he felt he should be. Why was Thistle out here for so long when he obviously didn’t care?

“I don’t get it,” Branch admitted. “Father…just lets him?” he asked finding the word so strange and foreign that he stuttered.

“King Oak knows he can handle himself,” she suddenly defended and she cast a glare back at Branch.

Branch frowned impassively, Rose was obviously protective of Thistle.

“I didn’t say he couldn’t, not that I would know,” Branch replied sarcastically. “I’m just surprised the King would risk losing what family he has left.”

Rose frowned, looking sad and troubled. “I wouldn’t know…” she admitted. “I don’t know if the King and Crown Prince…” she sighed, shaking her head. “It’s not my place to say. All I know is that for fifteen years, King Oak did the same thing out here, never going home till it was too much for him to bear. He came back and Crown Prince Thistle took his place out here looking.”

Branch’s frown deepened and he looked at Thistle again. Did that mean…Thistle didn’t really know their father either? But Branch couldn’t be sure by just this information, maybe Thistle sent letters? Surely he had to send in reports. Branch began to wonder how much older Thistle was compared to him.

He looked back at Rose and realized she too was looking at the prince.

“Why did he call us a half-breed?” Branch suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Rose’s sharp ears suddenly quirked up and she looked back at him surprised.

“Because Queen Rosemary was a round-ear troll and King Oak is a sharp-ear troll,” she said simply.

“So?” Branch asked confused. “What does that even mean? So what if they have different ears?”

She frowned and stared at him confused. “Typically our people don’t like breeding and living with other kinds of troll races. Not like your village, you even had glitter trolls,” she grimaced with disgust, shuddering in her seat as she made a face. “All naked and shiny…it’s just not natural. You even had a giant troll. And then there was that weird troll with four legs and a long neck…I’ve never seen such a freaky troll before. That was a troll, right?”

Well, that was rude. Branch couldn’t help making an incredulous face as he started to get the picture. These trolls were prejudice and racist, he would never have guessed it was possible.

“Yes, Cooper’s a troll. He’s a rare kind of troll for that matter but he’s still a troll. We all are, so what if our skin and bodies can look a little different? We’re all the same underneath and so is our hair. Are you going to tell me you guys don’t like singing and dancing next?” he asked with a critical tone, that would be ironic.

She chuckled, finding his words obviously amusing. “We sing and dance too but not as much and as wild and all the time as round-ears, we have a mixer and bar that the people frequent at night if they are free to get the urge out. But we sharp-ears have better sense of smell and hearing and most of us have darker colors and are smart. I’m sure the round-ears can have just as good senses if they actually were serious more of the time but they aren’t as far as we’ve seen. Glitter trolls can spurt out glitter, so see? We aren’t all the same and that means we aren’t all equal. Someone has to be superior and that is us sharp-ears that use our heads more and have conquered the other kinds of trolls without much trouble.”

Branch huffed. That was not what he meant! How could they understand if they were going to nitpick details like looking different and being able to do different things? They were all the same when it came to their hair and inside their hearts, they could all feel, sing, dance, and turn grey when they lost hope. Not to mention that as far as he knew, trolls were supposed to be happy and peaceful, of course these savage trolls had it easy subjugating their own kind. But he could see he wasn’t going to get his point across with her, she needed proof not words.

“So, I’m guessing half-breeds aren’t too popular among your people?” he said a bit sourly. Thankfully their village wasn’t so dumb, no one cared if a glitter troll married a round-ear or whatever these trolls called them and had kids, they were still trolls.

She frowned and shrugged. “No, not really. But you don’t have to worry Prin-” she stopped when he started to glare. “Branch… No one is going to insult you, at least not outright, you are royalty after all. And if anyone does, you can punish them as is your right. Anyone with brains knows not to mention Crown Prince Thistle’s parentage, I’m sure they will do the same for you since you are brothers after all.”

Branch made his typical face of disbelief with his mouth agape. Was she serious? How crazy were these trolls?

“You know what, this is getting tedious, no offense,” Branch said gruffly. “So let’s just drop it.”

“As you wish,” she said respectfully and turned to face forward again.

He stared surprised at her, for some reason he had expected resistance. He rolled his eyes and stared out to the forest again, this all had to be some kind of joke or nightmare. It was too much and his mind was back on Poppy again just like that as he tried to get his mind off this mess, naturally his thoughts gravitated to the pink troll.

He missed her and his heart ached, it ached even more now after the conversation with Rose. Why did this have to happen? He was just fine before, accepting that he had no family and more than happy to have Poppy in his life. Why did his world have to come crashing down on him when it had finally been going right?

_Poppy…I miss you._

He closed his eyes, lonely and suddenly fighting the urge to cry.

Slowly…a soft melody was whispering in his mind, in his heart, in his ears and getting louder. Where was this urge coming from to suddenly sing…? It didn’t feel like his own, but the presence and sensation was so reassuring he started to hum with the familiar voice in his ears. He could image her voice so perfectly…

And the words began to spill past him and into the night, his voice carried but he didn’t care.

 _Well I can't find the words to say_  
_Just to make, make this go way_  
_So you just bleed and I can't sleep tonight_

His voice softened and his heart ached as the pain of his face from earlier came to mind and their shared pain at their goodbye. In the air, creatures of the night began to swarm and fireflies came aglow, tensing the warriors as they stared around themselves.  
  
_'Cause it's hard to see just what you mean_  
_Across the lines that bring your voice to me_  
_But I can hear your every tear when you cry_

 _And, oh love, when you say to me_  
_That your heart breaks every time I leave_  
_I would set out across the sea of trees_  
_Just to find my way to you_

By this point the other trolls on their buzzlbees were staring at Branch, even Thistle had slowed down and was staring back with a fixed gaze and frown.

 _Well I don't know which way to go_  
_So I search the stars, basking in the glow_  
_But they all fall down without a sound from the sky_

Branch opened his eyes, staring up at the fragments of the sky that passed by between the leaves and he could hear Poppy’s voice so clearly. She was singing with him in his ears and the soothing sound of her voice even laced with loneliness was a comfort that also hurt his heart.

 _And, oh love, when you say to me_  
_That your heart breaks every time I leave_  
_I would set out across the sea of trees_  
_Just to find my way to you_

He began to hum softly with the insects that were providing the melody of instruments to the song, even the wind seemed to sigh with the music.

 _Well I still can't find the words to say_  
_But you, my love, love me anyway_  
_So just go to sleep, and my heart will keep the time_

Could he feel the pace of his heart synchronizing with the melody? With Poppy’s voice loud and clear that even a faint glow shone through his skin?

 _'Cause, oh love, when you say to me_  
_That my kiss is the breath you breathe_  
_I would wake up from a thousand dreams_  
_Just to find my way…_

 _And, oh love, when you say to me_  
_That my kiss is like the breath you breathe_  
_I would give up on a thousand dreams_  
_Just to find my way to you_

_Oh, just to find my way to you…*_

His voice ended with a soft sigh and peace pervaded his mind and he was sure now that he could feel her presence, it was slipping away. They were drifting to a dark sleep together and somehow he knew for certain that even apart, they had been singing together at that moment as they both drifted to being separate souls once more. It was sweet sorrow, feeling her voice leave with the phantom sensations that the song had instilled. But the sorrow that had been burdening him seemed lessened and the loneliness dampened and Branch was sure he could bear the separation long enough because she was in his heart. He wouldn’t turn grey again with her so far away, because she was still with him in a way.

He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, oblivious of the curious and awed stares and the one that glowered foully his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Song & Lyrics: To Find My Way To You by Bebo Norman. Lyrics slightly modified.


	11. Roses Have Thorns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TROLLS 2 has been announced!!! OMG, YES! Sequel coming April 10, 2020!!! So long as there are no delays or it's canceled...my heart won't be able to take it. But for now as a diehard fan, I pray for more Poppy and Branch! I need a plot summary asap! :'D
> 
> Enjoy the latest chapter!

* * *

 

The world suddenly shook and Branch woke with a gasp and a start, his eyes flew open and he groaned as sunlight streamed straight into his gaze.

Rubbing his eyes he sat up, realizing he had slumped at some point in his sleep. Voices started pouring into his ears, less distorted each passing moment as he further woke up.

“Moss and Markus, gather the firewood. Carter, set up a guard shift over on that northern ridge. Mika set up watch to the south by the river bend. Ivy and Robin pick a post on the east and west fronts no more than one fourth mile out. Rose, get Branch some armor from the packs and make him put it on. Afterwards have him help you gather some food if he’s not completely useless. Keep an eye on him,” Thistle ordered. “The rest of you set up camp and get some sleep, we move out at sundown. Standard procedure, I or Rose will wake you up for shift change. Now move it!”

Branch’s vision was finally normal and he looked around from the top of the buzzlbee to the commotion around him.

The trolls were setting up tents and a few were digging a hole for a fire and placing around rocks. Dark red hair suddenly shot into his vision and he yelped as the packs behind him were grabbed and yanked down. He started down to see Rose in clear daylight, she had a dark purple nose, green eyes, and her hair was an even darker red than her maroon colored skin.

“Come on, Branch. You heard the Crown Prince, right? Let’s get you in some armor.”

Branch frowned and slipped off the buzzlbee and landed with sure feet with a quiet thud. He looked around the grassy clearing and realized they were just at the edge of the forest and a meadow that stretched out to the east. He looked up at the sky and then the shadows of the trees and realized they were headed east so far and that the old village was to the west and it was a few hours late into the morning. He was surprised by how long he had slept.

He stepped closer to Rose and looked at the large bags she was shuffling through as she pulled out pieces of armor and a cloak. One by one, she handed them to him and he stared down at them curiously in his hands.

“Why do I need armor?” he asked confused.

She gave him a look that said she found his question stupid. “For protection,” she tried to say without contempt but he could still hear it in her voice.

He huffed annoyed and rolled his eyes, he felt his sarcastic nature come back with a vengeance.

“Oh, thank you, obviously that isn’t the purpose of armor I had in mind,” he scowled and she straightened up looking surprise at his sarcastic tone. “Is there danger in this region or are you saying you need me in armor because you can’t always be watching out for me? I’m just surprised you’re giving me any at all to begin with, you’re just going to trust me?”

She frowned and raised an eyebrow. “Of course we’re going to protect you, Prince Branch. We know you probably don’t know how to defend yourself so it’s in your best interest and safety to wear the armor. And obviously Crown Prince Thistle trusts you to keep to your word and pull your weight just like anyone else. You’re not our prisoner, you’re our Prince.”

The annoyance on Branch’s face couldn’t be more plain than the size of his nose, he obviously didn’t believe her words.

“For your information, I’m a survivalist. I spent most of my life in the forest gathering, fending for myself, learning to survive and building traps and other fortifications and I never needed armor to do it. I’m not helpless. And if I wasn’t your prisoner I would be free to go,” he pointed out.

Rose made an interested and curious expression as she looked him over. “I believe you, but please put on the armor anyways. The Crown Prince won’t be happy with either of us if he comes back and finds you without it. And you’re not our prisoner,” she repeated. “Your father just wants to meet you and know you are okay, that can’t be a bad thing,” she pointed out. “I’m sure he won’t make you stay with us if you don’t want to after you meet him.”

Branch huffed and decided not to argue. He hoped she was right and his father wasn’t like Thistle. She did have one other point, Branch didn’t need to give Thistle more of a reason to act like a glorified monster.

He put down the armor and first began buckling the knee plates on. He glanced around first and realized Thistle had indeed disappeared.

“Why do you keep calling him Crown Prince all the time? It’s a mouthful,” he asked.

She stared at him surprised as she pulled out a rolled up tan tent.

“It’s protocol and he likes it that way, call him just by his name and he’ll box your ears,” she said matter-of-fact.

“Hmm,” Branch muttered as he tied the second metal knee plate around his knee.

Well, he sure wasn’t going to waste his time calling Thistle anything other than Thistle. But maybe Branch just wanted a chance to punch the troll back if he tried to hit him. That much he was willing to admit and he could already hear Poppy telling him he should be trying to get along with his brother, after all it was not like he had a lot of family to speak of and this was his second chance. But it was not easy getting over a first impression and his first impression was simple: he didn’t like Thistle and that was putting it mildly.

Branch pulled up the chest plate and began strapping it on but as he slung it over his shoulder the back plate slipped off and hit the ground.

Gripping under his breath, Branch picked it up.

“Here, let me help you,” Rose offered as she stopped working on the tent and came over.

“Thanks,” Branch grumbled embarrassed.

She chuckled. “You know, you and your brother are very much alike from what I’ve seen so far. Other than the singing, Crown Prince Thistle doesn’t like singing or music for that matter, but you two seem to have similar personalities.”

Well, wasn’t that ironic, or at least it once was.

“I am nothing like him,” Branch snapped, he suddenly yanked the cord of the breastplate and began tying it to the back piece with one hand.

“If you say so,” she smiled.

“I do,” Branch growled, making it final.

Rose took the second cord and tied it, in the end it was a snug fit but the weight was certainly bothersome and he felt his vest was plastered to his skin underneath. She helped put on the shoulder plates next.

Her words were bothering him though all throughout the silence. “How well do you know Thistle?” he asked suddenly, curious.

She seemed to stiffen a little.

“I’ve been working with him for almost ten years now, so…I think I can say I know him pretty well. He’s a brave, intelligent, and capable commander.”

“You forgot cruel in there somewhere,” Branch said smartly.

She frowned, suddenly tightening the strap of the second shoulder strap too much and making Branch yelp in surprise. “Ouch!” he complained and turned a glare on her. She ignored him and loosened it and finished tying it.

“Sorry,” she muttered and let out a sigh. “I suppose he isn’t the most merciful troll…but he wasn’t trained to be and he’s had it hard. He’s always…been alone. I suppose that makes him hard to understand.”

Branch frowned and looked out into the forest in the direction Thistle had disappeared. So…Branch’s assessment last night was right, he supposed they shared that in common. They both grew up alone… But why was he so dark in comparison to Branch? What was the difference between them in that case?

“Dad…wasn’t around and mom left him,” Branch muttered, casting a sideways glance. “Did he have any family taking care of him growing up?”

Rose frowned as she stepped back after finishing the shoulder straps. “All I know is the rumors I’ve heard, I don’t know personally, we know better than to pry and ask him. But I know your grandfather, old King Elmwood, was around for some time before he died about five years after you were taken. I hear he and the Crown Prince were very close but old Queen Maple wasn’t. I hear she is a very strict old troll elder but you’ll know when you meet her. Those two are your grandparents on your father’s side. One of your cousins from your mother’s side lives in the Troll Tree Palace training as a squire too, his name is Prince Rowan, but I don’t think Crown Prince Thistle thinks very highly of him. He’s never let him join an expedition or battle.”

“Really?” Branch asked a little fascinated as he picked up the helmet. He looked at it curiously and willed his hair to curl up for a moment so he could slip it on. The metal crown rested on his brow a moment later and felt…strange, even as his hair straightened back up.

He recalled Grandma Rossiepuff saying her husband had died a long time ago but she would never talk much about her family. She always got quiet when Branch had asked and despite being curious he didn’t push her because it had been obvious to him that it made her sad and he had hated seeing her sad. But he would have never guessed she was royalty but he suppose it came as no surprise, she had been kind, brave, protective, and wise much like King Peppy.

Next, Rose strapped on the cloak with a pin under each shoulder pad and it was over.

“Yes,” Rose smiled looking him over and then nodding. “It’s a perfect fit, it suits you, Branch,” she grinned.

He half smiled and looked himself over, he supposed it wasn’t so bad. “Thanks.”

“Come on, let’s go collect food before they say we are loafing around,” she said waving him over. She stopped by the resting buzzlbee and picked up her spear. She frowned and looked at him. “Do you know how to use a weapon?” she asked.

Branch frowned, he was fiddling with the raised faceplate and trying to figure how it pulled down. He stopped and looked at her.

“I taught myself how to use some weapons but I wouldn’t say I’ve been professionally trained,” he admitted with a frown.

She nodded. “We’ll take care of that, it should be easier for you to learn if you have been using them. What do you use best for now? We have swords, spears, axes, maces, shields, daggers and bows.”

“Spear,” he said quickly. He wasn’t about to take chances with a bow right now, he barely had started getting good at hitting the target in his last practice session back in his bunker. He didn’t say anymore though and he doubted he was going to stay long enough to learn from them, at least that was his hope.

She nodded and took him over to another buzzlbee that was carrying a cache of weapons on its back. She pulled out a spear and tossed it to him.

He caught it in one hand without trouble and noticed the textured of the shaft. He pulled it closer to his face and recognized that it was indeed the same like the one he had found on the way to the old village.

“Nice catch,” she said, interrupting his thoughts and making him look up. “Let’s go.”

Branch quickly followed her into the forest and he was alert. It was natural for him to look around and be aware of his surroundings as he looked for edible foods he could recognize. He recognized most of the plants here and knew their names and properties by memory. He found a berry bush and headed over.

Rose stopped, confused and watched him as he yanked a large leaf off another bush, punched holes along the side and with a vine from a nearby tree he quickly made a bag.

“What are you doing?” she asked finally asked him confused, walking over.

“Collecting food,” he answered simply as she tied a knot and then turned to the blue berries that were half the side of his head. “These berries are edible.”

“They are?” she asked surprised looking at the bush. “They look like nightshade berries, are you sure?” she demanded.

“Of course, I’m sure,” Branch replied as he picked a berry and threw it into the leaf bag. “I told you, I’m a survivalist. I learned all about the local plants and herbs, both poisonous and helpful. Deadly nightshade berries have a star shape bud around the berry and the bush smells bitter if you sniff the leaves close enough.”

He kept picking berries and she looked on impressed.

“Looks like you’re smart like the rest of us,” she observed quietly making him scowl and stare at her for a moment.

She started picking berries with him and filling the bag till it was full and heavy.

“Let’s go take this back and come back to see if we can hunt something,” she decided, heading back towards camp as he slung the bag over his shoulder.

“Wait…what?” Branch asked alarmed. “You kill and eat…other creatures?”

Rose glanced back at him confused. “Of course we do, we can’t survive on berries alone months on end, especially not in the winter.”

Branch was appalled but stayed quiet, he never heard of trolls hurting and eating other living things. Poppy would have a heart attack if she ever heard this, she was always making friends with every critter she came across even if it might be dangerous which was quite bewildering to be honest. He couldn’t even count the number of times he had stumbled into her in the forest petting some predator like it was a puppy. _He_ nearly had a heart attack every time he happened to see her in action. Thankfully, even she knew there were some creatures that could not be tamed, he supposed she simply had a knack for knowing which was which when she came across them.

“Can I do something else?” he finally asked after they had walked a few minutes in silence, trying to get his mind off Poppy before he became depressed.

Rose turned back and stared at him shocked.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, anything,” he admitted. “Hurting another creature that is trying to hurt you in self-defense is one thing, but hunting…” his voice suddenly grew firm and unyielding. “We don’t do that, we don’t eat other living things.”

She stared at him silently for a long while, contemplating. Finally she sighed, sounding bothered. “Alright, ask Thistle to give you another job when we get back.”

Branch stared looking astonished. “You just called him only by his name.”

Her eyes widened and she froze, her mouth opened but nothing came out. Finally, she snapped and she looked angry. “It was a mistake! You have me here informally calling you by your name only and of course it has me all confused!” she snapped defensively.

Branch flinched surprised, he was left staring before it clicked in his head and he gave her a knowing smirk. “You like him.”

Her face got redder than it already was and she was fuming, her cheeks inflated as she shook and Branch’s smile vanished. She looked ready to blow up.

“I’m not going to tell him, so stop worrying,” he suddenly said making her freeze. “I’m not exactly close to him you know, and you’re his second-in-command, I’m not going to make your job harder,” he finally said flatly with a remote expression. He realized he was getting too friendly and comfortable with her too easily. Like a colored troll normally would, but right now he knew his old grey personality was probably safer.

She was staring with wide and surprised eyes before she visibly relaxed and looked away looking humiliated. She looked back a few moments later with a deep set frown.

“Thank you… How…how did you know I was second-in-command? I’m pretty sure no one has called me lieutenant around you just yet.”

“Deduction,” he remarked with a shrug and began walking again.

She quickly caught up to him and she was staring at him thoughtfully. “You know, Branch… You might be even smarter than I thought.”

“Geez, thanks,” was his sarcastic response as he rolled his eyes.

“No, that’s not what I mean,” she sighed. “I mean, most sharp-ear trolls are smart but there are some of us who are even smarter than most. I’m just surprised a half-breed like you might be one of them.”

He stopped and gave her a hard and skeptical stare. “I’m sorry, what about that wasn’t insulting just now?” he asked rhetorically.

She groaned and shook her head. “You two are definitely brothers. That wasn’t an insult! That was a compliment.”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to work on your compliments, Rose, because that was far from being one,” he replied unimpressed.

She groaned again as he resumed the pace and she quickly followed after him. “You sure act like a grouch like Thistle despite growing up with round-ears, aren’t they supposed to be always unbearably happy and positive?” she asked confused as she kept pace with him.

Branch sighed. “Yes we are, insanely so sometimes. But I’ve been grey for the past twenty years, living alone. I didn’t get my colors back till a few days ago, so I suppose you can say that being unbearably happy hasn’t been a part of who I am in a long time.”

“Wait…you…you turned grey?” she suddenly asked in a whisper, horrified as she stared at him. “You’ve been grey…for twenty years?”

Branch scowled and with a soft sigh, nodded.

“What…how did you get your colors back?” she asked softly. “Most say it’s impossible to restore a troll that has lost their colors.”

Branch suddenly stopped walking and she took a couple more steps before she looked back and stared at him.

“ _She_ gave me my colors back, she is the reason I was able to find hope and happiness again,” he responded firmly with a tight voice a few moments later. He glared at Rose, anger burning in his blue eyes again.

Rose gulped and looked down at her feet. “You…you mean that pink round-ear?” she asked quietly.

“She has a name,” Branch snapped brusquely, losing his patience quickly.

Rose nodded and she took a deep breath, looking back up and to his surprise she looked remorseful.

“I’m sorry…about before, about hurting her. I didn’t want to but…orders are orders and I have to listen to my Prince without question… I…I’m sorry it hurt anyways, that you had to experience that…and that you had to leave her behind.”

Branch felt his anger melt away with surprise. He hadn’t been expecting an apology…least of all one so sincere. He looked down at the dirt and growled annoyed, how was he supposed to stay mad at the red troll after that? He let out an angry huff and started walking again, shouldering the pack uncomfortably.

“It’s fine, you’re forgiven,” he relented and didn’t missed the relieved smile as he walked past her. “It’s not you I’m really mad at anyways. Besides, Poppy wouldn’t want me staying mad at you,” he grumbled as he thought of her scolding him and he almost smiled, if the sensation of longing hadn’t been more powerful that kept him frowning.

“Thank you, my Prince,” she sighed relieved. She giggled as he gave her a displeased look. “Oh, don’t be such a stiff! I said it with affection not formality.”

He snorted and rolled his eyes and decided just to leave her be as much as the title bothered him.

“I’ll tell you what, to make up for it let me train you during our trip on our free time. I’m one of the best spear users among our warriors, and I’m not just saying that to boast, I can assess you and give you proper training, what do you say?” she asked excitedly. He glanced at her with an unsure frown and then noticed mischief appear a moment later in her green eyes. “Come on, you never know…seeing how gruff the Crown Prince is and how you two seem to be itching to fight each other…are you telling me you wouldn’t like a chance to knock him off his feet in a fight? Not that I ever said that, but…it’s a thought,” she teased with a grin.

Branch smirked half surprised and half amused as he looked at Rose. Alright, that was a bit too tempting to pass up.

“You’re willing to teach me so I can knock Thistle over…seriously?” he asked not sure he believed her.

She smiled more widely. “We solve a lot of disputes with some good punches to get the negative feelings out. No one would ever dare hurt the Crown Prince, but…you’re his brother. You don’t have to let him win like the rest of us, think about it. Sometimes the best way to get your feelings across and solve differences is by exchanging blows. That’s our philosophy.”

Branch chuckled and surprisingly…he kind of liked the idea. He knew Poppy would be mortified, insisting words were better than harsh actions but he had a feeling only actions would get across to someone like Thistle, not words. Plus, he had to be able to defend himself against these trolls if the need ever came up considering his current situation…

“Alright,” he agreed. “Just tell me when we start,” he said with a bit of fire in his eyes.

Rose gave him a challenging grin that was a bit scary by all rights.

“Good. But I won’t go easy on you Prince Branch, you’ve been warned. We start right now before we eat, for half an hour.”

“Then I won’t go easy on you either, Lieutenant Rose,” he bluffed, he wasn’t sure he would even be a match but he had to have some confidence. “But don’t you need some sleep?” he asked, actually concerned much to his surprise. He supposed he liked this troll, she wasn’t all bad and that gave him hope the rest of these trolls weren’t so savage after all.

“I’ll sleep afterwards, you don’t become the Crown Prince’s lieutenant by complaining about needing sleep,” she joked smugly.

Branch let out a half snort, half chuckle as they kept walking.

Soon they were back in camp and the rest of the trolls were back except the one on guard duty. Thistle had brought back some fish and a few edible mushrooms from his scouting. At first he was skeptical about the berries but after Branch gave him the same argument he gave Rose earlier he seemed to be more accepting. The other trolls were clearly impressed and happy to eat the fruit it seemed, fresh or roasted over the fire.

Rose kept her word and before Branch could even think about touching food she pulled him aside to spar with two long wooden staffs. Thistle watched them with a cold and calculating gaze, not even touching his food. In the sunlight, Branch noticed more details about him he had missed before like the dark silver ear cuffs near the ends of his ears along the bottom of his earlobes, his large nose much like Branch’s, and the way his turquoise hair stood straight and looked trimmed and neat on the top. Even the lines next to his eyes that showed he wore mostly serious expressions. And an old scar Branch could barely see that raked over Thistle’s right shoulder just under his armor and down towards his chest where it vanished under the chest plate. Much more he didn’t get to observe before the training started a little ways away from the main camp over a large patch of clear earth.

The rest of the warrior trolls watched as well as they ate, curious.

Thankfully, Branch soon found out he was a natural and his years of self-training were not completely useless. She started off with a five minute fight to test his form, speed and technique. And like she had promised, she was brutal and she wasn’t scared to throw powerful attacks his way that smacked his armor heavily. The first two minutes he was stuck just deflecting and defending against her blows but he was quick at figuring out her patterns of attack and in the last two minutes he turned the tide and had her on the defensive. She seemed shocked but quickly proved she was the superior of the two when she suddenly summersaulted into the air behind him with a push of her hair off the ground and knocked him on his back and disarming him in one swift blow.

They both stopped, panting. Branch on the ground and the end of the staff pointed towards his face as Rose stared from above in a fixed pose. He had to admit, some part of him had been born for this, and it was exciting and a good way to use his energy when he didn’t have the urge to dance.

Rose pulled him up to his feet and complimented his skill when it came to handling and moving the staff. She was clearly impressed by how well he handled it and was able to move it so effortlessly and swiftly between his hands to react to attacks struck in different directions.

Branch soon realized the others had been staring the whole time. They started exchanging excited looks and chatter about the fight, saying the young prince showed some great promise. All except Thistle whose expression was blank and serious as he watched.

Branch didn’t get to pay attention to them much more as Rose strictly commanded his attention. She spent the rest of the lesson teaching him proper forms and stances and knocking him over when he concentrated too hard on getting it right rather than letting his body naturally fall into position. She claimed it was to loosen him and teach him to be alert of his surroundings and opponent so he was ready for anything, he had to be ready to react in a moment’s notice, but he was starting to think she just liked bruising him and making his face smack into the dirt. But he stubbornly got up and kept going each time even when he heard the distant chuckles of the other warriors as they reminisced their own days of training.

By the end of the half hour it felt like an hour and he was more ready to fall asleep than eat. He lay down in the tent and sleeping roll provided for him, ignoring the lingering and silent stare of Thistle.

Exhausted, Branch ate a whole berry and wondered how Poppy was this morning, missing her and missing waking up cuddling with her in the mornings. Her warmth, the touch and comfort just holding her provided and her soft scent… He missed her terribly and fell asleep dreaming they were together back in that cave having a picnic.

 


	12. Legend of the First Troll Tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is extra long and in Poppy's POV, it is a very important chapter and I hope you enjoy the background story origin of the trolls and don't mind the length! Enjoy!

* * *

 

Poppy woke with a thrill that morning, first from the initial shock of finding herself in the bunker and the second from the song she and Branch had sung together last night. She couldn’t believe it! She had reached him, felt him in some supernatural way and they had been able to comfort each other with a song and simply connect and let the other know they would be okay through music.

She was grinning and it gave her hope despite how much she already missed him.

Poppy wasn’t about to let the separation get her down, she was going to get back to his side!

Jumping out of the bed she was about to bolt out when she stepped on something. Looking down she saw the band aid under her foot and picked it up. It must have fallen off at some point last night in her sleep.

Fortunately, Branch had showed her all his medical supplies and he had medical kits everywhere in the bunker like the prepared troll he was. One in the armory, one in the forge, one even in the room with the yarn…yes, he expected an accident or emergency in every corner of even his own bunker.

Poppy went into his bathroom, threw away the old band aid in the trash and found a medicine cabinet next to the mirror inside. She opened up the white box and stared at all the labeled medical supplies. She wasn’t unobservant and she quickly picked out the ointment Dr. Plum had used and remembered Branch talking about the different forms of medicine he had and even made himself. There were even band aids, gauzes, and tools for stitches among other things.

She quickly took care of her face and was about to put the box away when thought of something. It would be helpful to carry this sort of thing around, wouldn’t it? She put the box in place and raced back to the main room of the bunker.

Branch’s pack was still next to the elevator!

She opened it and found everything inside. A medical kit, his compass and map and writing tools, a pan, utensils, a multi-tool knife, matches, rope, a canister of water, what was left of his rations and a few other things.

If she was going on a trip again this time she decided she would be prepared, she couldn’t rely on Branch swooping in and saving her like last time or improvise every step of the way. This time she was doing the swooping to save him!

Poppy went and pulled out rations from his storage and then went to the bookshelves in his room looking for a survivalist guide. She found one and it was…surprisingly fat for a book, a little intimidating and as she opened it she realized Branch had written it. It had details diagrams and drawing inside in his hand with clear instructions like how to build a campfire, how to find shelter, tips on navigation, information on useful plants and how to make them into medicine and more. She wondered how many years he had been working on it, and it was a precious tome of his knowledge. She silently promised herself and him that she would take care of it as she went and put it in the pack with the rations.

Last she went to the armory and despite her misgivings she took the spear Branch had found on their trip to the village. It felt foreign in her hand and she gulped but quickly steeled herself and marched out of the armory with it, determined. If she wanted to protect Branch, she knew she couldn’t be soft when he needed her most and she was dead serious on being there for him.

Her hug time bracelet went off as she picked up the pack and she stared down at it for a moment and at Branch’s bracelet right next to it. She let out a sigh and cranked the lever of the elevator and returned to the surface. After she locked the doors and other safety measures she quickly walked back towards the village.

It was still very early and the sun was barely starting to shine over the tree line. The grass was soft and cool under her feet, the spear glinted in the weak light, and the pack quietly rustled against her back.

Suddenly the sound of a horn went off high above the trees and she froze, pulling the spear up in front of her. Quickly she looked around for the danger.

“One of them is back!” she heard Cooper’s familiar’s voice yelling above somewhere.

Poppy grimaced and turned around quickly looking for any danger and she quickly rushed towards the clearing.

Trolls were already yelling and rushing out of their pods and into the grass or places to hide. Okay, maybe they hadn’t organized enough ahead of time in case this situation occurred.

“Cooper, that’s only Poppy!” Suki suddenly yelled from somewhere above.

Poppy suddenly stiffened and let out a dreary sigh as her arms slumped and she relaxed.

“Everyone calm down! It was a false alarm!” Poppy suddenly yelled, projecting her voice over the panicking and running about.

Trolls started tumbling and stopping and looking back confused. She waved them forward and soon the tree guards were among them with Cooper apologizing for his ditzy mistake. The other trolls were relieved and more curious to see Poppy with the spear and pack. They started asking questions and pressing their concerns. Poppy reassured them that their Queen was just trying to be prepared, telling them that after going home she would be going after Branch.

Concerned murmurs began flying but the Snack Pack was quick to mention that the Queen wouldn’t go alone. Poppy smiled at all of them gratefully and agreed, she knew it was dangerous and she didn’t want to put them in danger but she also knew she needed their support and no words she said was going to convince them to stay behind anyways. They all wanted to make sure Branch was alright and bring him home. Her friends could tell just how distraught Poppy was by his absence and how she was trying to hide it, and the rest of the village was starting to feel it too.

The morning was rather serious, breakfast was served up as a community and while some trolls started to sing and dance, not all of them did. Surprisingly, it was their Queen that did not join in and while she accepted hugs during Hug Time, she did not go out of her way to initiate for once as she stayed atop the wagon and stared out into the forest. She tried to work on a scrapbook but found she was not in the mood for that either.

Her people were alright for now, shaken but safe, so she had time to sit and think. Everything was packed and ready to go and now they just had to wait. Every minute it felt like Branch was getting farther away, it was a strange sensation like a tugging inside her body and then it stopped, like he had stopped moving.

The Bergens soon arrived with the next group of trolls who were dancing and singing happily their hellos. Poppy put up a positive front, smiling and waving and greeting the next group. She quickly told the group of the trouble with the new trolls and that Branch was taken, and told them to keep a look out. The news damped the mood quite a bit and the concern of the other trolls was overwhelming. But it was necessary to tell them and her cousin, Moxie, volunteered to stay behind and help since she knew what to expect if they came back.

Poppy hugged her cousin in gratitude and soon the first group was off back towards home. The hours it took the Bergen’s to walk home felt like an eternity and Poppy wasn’t in the mood to chat. In fact the trip was very quiet and the trolls only broke out into song once. During the trip Poppy felt suddenly and immensely tired and battered at one point like the first part of her trip alone to Bergen Town to save her friends.

It was a little confusing and she hoped Branch was alright. It didn’t hurt a lot but she had a feeling the sensations of pain were coming from him. He wasn’t distressed though so the soreness was very faint and quickly left her soon afterwards which left her even more puzzled. She wondered what he was doing right now. But she could feel no overwhelming powerful emotions in that moment, just her own.

Not even the Snack Pack could cheer her up but they managed to distract her, asking her what she had in her pack and what they should pack for the trip. This proved to be an effective distraction and she quickly showed them the supplies and what they should pack when they got home after moving their things. They even offered to move her belongings to her pod while she spoke with her dad about the savage trolls. Poppy couldn’t be more grateful and even started a group hug.

The moment they reached home it was lunch time and Poppy rushed off in blitz before the wagon even came to a stop. She leapt off the wagon when it came in the vicinity of the tree and rushed away, saying hellos to those that passed her as she rushed by.

Before long she was rushing into her father’s pod high up in the branches.

“Dad!” she yelled as she rushed in.

“Poppy?” he asked confused, sitting up from his table with a mountain of scrolls. He had been taking care of the village in her absence and the paperwork and quickly piled up.

He stood up and rushed over to her only for his eyes to go wide.

“Poppy, what happened to your face? Why do you have a spear?”

Poppy ignored the question and immediately took him into a hug and his big, warm body was reassuring as she hugged him tightly. She had missed him. But she broke the hug only a few moments later.

“Dad, something terrible has happen!” she started with a short breath.

“Calm down, Poppy, tell me all about it,” he said pulling her towards the table and to a chair.

She sighed, removed her pack and set down the spear and took a seat. As Peppy sat down the entire story was already pouring out of his daughter’s mouth. She started with the spear they found and then continued on to the savage trolls and their interaction with them. She brought up the wanted posters and how they took Branch with them by force, she spared her father the details about having a knife to her throat or being choked but not how they had threatened them all.

In the end she was short of breath and her father had a deeply troubled look.

“Dad, I want you to tell me what you know about other troll villages,” she started. “And what you know about Branch’s family,” she said and she pulled out the crest from her hair, laying it flat on the table. “This is the crest they wore on their helmets and that Branch had in some of his family’s old things, have you seen it before?” she asked hopefully.

Peppy reached over and picked up the crest with a solemn frown. He stared at it for a long time before he sighed and shook his head, placing it back down on the table.

“I’m afraid I won’t be much help, Poppy,” he finally admitted and her face was immediately crestfallen as she felt her heart sink into her stomach. “I’ll tell you what I can though,” he started off.

She straightened up and her gaze was fixed on him.

“Before I became King, my father was King, your grandfather King Pappy. He was the last king to ever deal with other troll villages,” he sighed with a reminiscing look. “You see, our troll tree is pretty far from other troll trees and by the time I became king it was not long after that the Bergens captured us and built their town around our home… I was young and in love with your mother, we just got married and that is when Rosemary and Rosiepuff showed up with a newborn Branch. We welcomed them in and I was eager to hear where they were from but they didn’t want to share, all they said was they had to run away from home and that they didn’t want to think about the bad things they had left behind. They told us Branch’s father was eaten by a monster on their trip to our tree and we were all horrified and wanted to make them feel welcomed and safe.”

Poppy frowned and she scooted her seat a little closer. She saw the cup of tea and pushed it closer to her dad. He smiled and picked it up and took a sip as she served herself some in the extra cup.

“Now, you have to understand, even though we welcomed them they were rather reclusive and it took a while for them to feel like they could trust us and try to be part of the community. It wasn’t even half a year later that the Bergen’s captured us all and Rosemary…” he sighed sadly, shaking his head. “She was one of the first trolls eaten trying to save her family. After that, Rosiepuff tried to get closer to all of us and helped take care of the orphans along with Branch all by herself. Then…she was taken one day by a Bergen and Branch was found grey and alone, he was already four years old and it was not easy looking out for him. Most of the trolls were scared of him because he had turned grey. No one had ever seen a troll go grey before Branch, there were stories but no one had ever seen it. So…he was rejected even when others tried to cheer him up and get his colors back, but it was soon obvious anything we tried wasn’t going to work. Then trolls became more scared of him,” he sighed obviously disappointed by those events in the past.

Poppy frowned, sad to hear how lonely Branch had been from the very beginning.

“You had just been born around that time, just before the sorrow that befell his family, my little princess,” he smiled fondly and sadly as he looked up at Poppy.

“And it was right after that, that…mom got eaten too,” Poppy sighed sadly, remembering this part of the story. She hugged the warm cup close to her chest, imagining, trying to remember her mother’s hugs.

Peppy nodded gravely. “Her last wish was that I save you and everyone else, she gave me the courage to get everyone out. I wasn’t about to let anymore trolls suffer that fate, especially you,” he said with a little of his old fiery determination from his youth as he remembered that day twenty years ago. “After we escaped, Branch fended for himself, he was just a child but he grew cold and distant as he got older. He knew even less about his family then we did. By that time it had been many years that we had heard from another troll village. Even when we were free I was afraid of drawing attention to us and endangering the other villages so I thought it was best we kept our village a secret, keep it safe. So I never dealt with another troll village in my entire reign. I’ve never seen this crest before,” he said pointing to the emblem.

Poppy let out a distraught sigh and put down her cup of tea and picked up the metal oval shaped crest.

“Don’t give up, Poppy,” Peppy continued with a brighter tone. “There is a book in the library, a record of all the troll villages the past kings and queens of our village ever dealt with. I’m sure Sylvia can help you find it or find something about the crest, she knows everything in those books. She’s probably the smartest troll in the village next to Branch,” he smiled.

Poppy leapt to her feet with excitement then her face morphed with disappointment.

“Sylvia left with the second group of trolls to go collect her things and all the library books,” Poppy groaned as she went over that small detail in her head. “She won’t be back till tomorrow.”

Ugh! She couldn’t wait that long! But what choice did she have?

“It will be alright, Poppy,” he promised. “While you wait you can attend other matters, like talking to King Gristle and telling him what happened. The Bergens need to know about these trolls and so does the rest of the village though I’m sure your friends are taking care of that. No secret stays a secret long among chatty trolls,” he said with a soft smile.

She nodded and plopped back down in her seat and looked at the piled up scrolls.

“Thank you for taking care of things here, Dad,” Poppy smiled. “I know you’re supposed to be retired now but here I have you doing your old work that I should be doing now…”

“Nonsense,” he scoffed gently. “If Branch can help you so can I as long as I can.”

Poppy stared surprised as her father as he gave her a knowing look.

“He’s really has had an effect on you, hasn’t he?” Peppy asked softly.

Poppy sighed, her eyes a little glassy as she gazed past the scrolls with a longing look.

“Yes, he has. But… He’s…he’s more to me than I ever thought imaginable, dad. I love him,” she admitted looking at her dad again, a slight glint of fear in her eyes. “I’m afraid of losing him more than anything I’ve ever been afraid of.”

Peppy frowned and reached over, taking her hand. “Love is a strange and wonderful force, Poppy,” he sighed in understanding. “It can be scary, but so long as you follow your heart and are true to your feelings everything will be alright.”

She smiled gratefully for a moment then her expression fell. “It’s not just that, dad. I’m sure of it now…Branch and I are soul mates and I feel that…if I lose him I will lose everything, not just my colors.”

Peppy’s grip on her hand tightened as his eyes widened. “Are you sure, Poppy?” he asked quietly after a moment of silent staring.

Poppy nodded gravely as he squeezed her father’s hand back. “It can’t be anything else, dad. We started feeling each other’s strong feelings and we are just complete each other so naturally like when we sing and dance. We can even sing together when we’re apart, it happened last night. I _felt_ him, I could _hear_ him sing with me and he was already far away. And the further away he gets the emptier and lonelier I feel inside, dad. Like I can turn grey again,” she said with slight panic. “I’m so worried that I can’t even sing and singing helps me relax!” she cried almost desperately. “And I can feel his pain inside me and I know he can feel mine,” she took in a deep and shaky breath trying not to sob as she finally let her emotions out.

Peppy suddenly pulled her onto her feet and into a hug. Poppy shuddered and relaxed into her father’s hug, feeling her heartbeat calm down as she felt his arms safe and reassuring around her. Her father’s hugs always helped her growing up and she hugged him back gratefully as she was able to slowly regain control of her emotions.

“You have to go after him,” Peppy finally said.

Poppy’s eyes widened and she pulled away to look at her father shocked.

He had a grief-stricken expression as he stared at her.

“You’re not going to try to tell me not to?” she asked surprised.

“No, Poppy,” he sighed. “You have to, if he is your soul mate…and something bad happens to either of you, the other won’t be able to live past it. It’s like you said, you’ll lose everything not just your colors if the stories are true,” he fretted. “Your souls are tied now and that something that can’t be reversed. It’s a special and rare gift but it’s also dangerous because the love is so strong that it can destroy you both.”

“As in...”

He nodded. “You two can die because of it, by sorrow alone.”

Poppy gulped and horror took her features, but she wasn’t afraid for herself. All she could picture was Branch, he had already lost so much… She wished for that moment that it could be reversed. She hated being the source of any of his pain. If something happened to her…she knew it would devastate him beyond repair. She had to get to his side!

Her gaze was suddenly fixed and determined again. Her sad feelings were washed away by a fiery spirit with a goal in mind. Nothing would stop her and that was a promise she made to herself and to Branch in her heart.

“I’ll get him back,” Poppy vowed. “I won’t let anything bad happen to him anymore,” she growled softly. “I won’t let him lose anything or anyone anymore. I’ll get to his side no matter what!”

Peppy smiled at her despite the worry in his eyes. As a father it was only natural to worry about her more than anything else. But he knew if anyone could pull through this, it was these two special trolls that shared a special and unexpected bond. He would have to be content with faith and hope for now.

Peppy let go of her hands and Poppy reached over and hugged her dad again.

“Will you be okay here, dad?” she asked concerned.

He let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t worry Poppy, you go after Branch and I’ll look out for the village. We’ll be here when you get back, just…just be careful,” he sighed.

“I will dad, thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Poppy,” he squeezed her a little tighter before letting her go.

Poppy turned and left with her pack and spear and knew exactly where she was going next. First she went to her pod and left her supplies there and found most of her belongings were already inside thanks to her friends. She was quick, in and out in a flash and trying not to glance at Branch’s pod or her friend’s pods as she passed them.

Soon after she found herself in Mandy’s bright yellow pod which was a large round thing with a work station and her things already collected from the first trip inside. The yellow troll with fuchsia hair was still organizing her home and workplace when Poppy came in knocking.

“Ah! Queen Poppy,” she greeted. “I was just about to go ask for help with the llama trolls, we don’t have enough room for all the animals we brought back from the village…”

Poppy smiled in a friendly manner as she entered. “We’ll figure it out, Branch and I were discussing underground areas for farming. Maybe we can build big stables for the critters down there too.”

Mandy frowned and shrugged. “I guess, Queen Poppy. But the llamas need fresh air and sunlight, they might not do well.”

“Branch even invented a way to bring sunlight and fresh air down to the tunnels,” Poppy assured but she also saw Mandy’s point. Not everyone could tolerate being underground like Branch. “But if that doesn’t work we’ll figure out how to expand the land around the Troll Tree or make some places past the root tunnels in the forest.”

Mandy smiled and nodded looking pleased. “That can work, thank you Queen Poppy!”

Poppy smiled brightly, glad to help. She frowned a moment later as she was rubbed her wrist.

“Actually, I came to ask for a favor, Mandy.”

Mandy smiled brightly. “Anything, Queen Poppy.”

Poppy pulled off the broken Hug Time bracelet and passed it to Mandy. “I was hoping you can fix this.”

Mandy took the bracelet and looked it over surprised. “I didn’t make this,” she said surprised. “This is very old. My mother Tandy made this bracelet but it looked like someone tried to fix it themselves. Is this…?”

“It’s Branch’s old bracelet,” Poppy confirmed with a soft smile and a nod.

Mandy smiled but looked a little troubled.

“I’ll fix it Queen Poppy, it’ll be a little hard but I should be able to do it,” she promised. “Are you…really going after him and those savage trolls?” she asked with a worried look.

“I have to,” Poppy said sternly with a serious nod of her head.

“Then I’ll try to have it ready before you leave. When are you going?”

“Tomorrow, after I talk with Sylvia when she comes back with the books.”

“That’s more than enough time!” Mandy smirked widely. “I’ll have it ready by tonight I think, so come back after dinner for it. Bring Branch back home, so I can lecture him about trying to fix this in the future again and so I can ask him for a new set of grooming tools in exchange for lessons.”

Poppy grinned and laughed, liking the idea. She gave Mandy a hug and left, feeling a little more positive.

Poppy busied herself the rest of the evening, trying to keep her mind off Branch and the trip. She went to go visit King Gristle and Bridget to tell them the news. Bridget was devastated for her and asked if they wanted her to come and help, the King obviously didn’t like the idea too much of letting his lady going on a dangerous trip. He offered guards instead which Poppy declined, she didn’t want to put any of the Bergens at risk and she didn’t want to arrive to the kingdom of Branch’s family looking like a threat. King Gristle even offered them to borrow Barnabus as a stead but the crocodile-dog let out a growl that clearly said he would have nothing of that which Poppy found a bit adorable.

She went back home afterwards and had dinner with her friends and family which was as bright as possible. After picking up Branch’s repaired bracelet she was surprised by her friends in front of her pod. They all had backpacks and the twins had fashioned everyone knew travel-adventure outfits for the trip, including a new dress for Poppy and hair accessories to go with her crown which Poppy was reluctant to wear.

Poppy couldn’t believe how wonderful they were and they all decided to have a sleepover and discuss their travel plans. Mostly they didn’t want to leave Poppy alone and she couldn’t be more grateful for their consideration even if they did stay up later than they should. It didn’t pass anyone’s attention when Poppy had two Hug Time bracelets going off together exactly at the same time right on the hour, which earned her double hugs and made her laugh at their silliness, the extra hugs were for Branch.

The next day was torment. The morning hours seemed to drag on forever and Poppy just wanted the other trolls to come back home.

What if something bad had happened? Were they okay?

When the Bergens finally appeared pushing the wagons with happy looking trolls inside, Poppy felt her heart rise in her chest with relief. She had been sitting out on the branch all morning waiting for them with her friends telling her it would be alright… Wasn’t it her job to reassure them? Well, she was a bit of a mess internally with her anxiety at the moment. She just wanted to get to the trip already and start closing the distance between her and Branch.

Just as the trolls arrived Poppy and the Snack Pack were already there to greet them at the base of the tree. Moxie reported nothing amiss and the trolls got to work unpacking as Poppy rushed their older troll librarian.

“Sylvia!” Poppy greeted a little too enthusiastically as she saw the purple troll with yellow hair, glasses and her hair in folds with pencils and scrolls sticking out decoratively from one side of her head.

“Oh, good morning your highness!” Sylvia greeted past a stack of books in her arms with her sweet warm voice. “Is there something I can help you with?”

“Let me help you with those books first,” Poppy insisted, reaching out for them only for Guy Diamond to beat her and take the books himself.

“Oh thank you! Aren’t you all helpful,” Sylvia said cheerily. “I’m afraid the children’s books are in the back of the pile in the wagon if you need something to read to the children, Queen Poppy,” she apologized.

Poppy smiled and shook her head. “That’s not why I’m here today, Sylvia. You heard about what happened to Branch, right?” she asked quietly.

Sylvia made a distraught expression. “Yes, Moxie told us more of the story after you left. To think they took Branch in such a cruel way! He’s such a nice troll once you get to know him, they didn’t need to treat him or you so awfully,” Sylvia grumbled sounding angrier than her expression was letting on.

Poppy stared surprised, taking a step closer. “You knew Branch pretty well, didn’t you, Sylvia?”

“Of course I did,” she huffed. “All the books he has were books he got from me unless they were ones he wrote, he used to come help me in the library at night or before dawn some times since he was a child like you did some days. Of course, he came less and less over the years but he was the smartest troll around and always willing to help me with the books and talk about them. I always hoped he might take over my job someday if I could convince him to do it but he was never interested,” she said with a fond smile and shake of her head. She looked at Poppy with happy eyes. “No, he will be a far better king than a librarian I say. You did so well getting his colors back Poppy, thank you. He deserves so much better than being alone and you gave that back to him.”

Poppy stared surprised, she hadn’t been expecting those words from Sylvia. She never knew the librarian had been that close to Branch, he rarely interacted with the village in the past unless he had to. Now Poppy was finding out more than she had known before.

She blushed but her embarrassment didn’t last long. “That’s why I’m here, Sylvia. I need your help to find him, I need to get to him as soon as possible,” Poppy insisted urgently as she took the metal crest out of her hair. “My dad told me you have a record book with all the troll villages King Grandpa Pappy ever met and the kings and queens before him. He said that you could help me figure out where those trolls are from or if you have ever seen this symbol,” she said passing the emblem to her.

Sylvia took the emblem and looked down at it past her blue glasses. She tapped it in her hands for a moment before flipping it over. After adjusting her glasses she read the inscription slowly and she looked up a moment later, frowning.

“I’m afraid this crest won’t be in that book, Queen Poppy,” she started.

Poppy’s face was visibly distressed by the news and she was frozen.

“But, there is something else that might help you find these trolls I read in an old book. Help me find it, come on!” she waved them towards the wagon. “Honey,” she said turning to Guy, “take those books to the old library, it’s the biggest pod near the middle of the tree, you can’t miss it. Then come back.”

Guy nodded and rushed off with the pile of books as Sylvia led everyone to the wagon with all the books and past the other working trolls. Sylvia told them it was called the _Legend of the First Troll Tree_ and it had a dark green cover. They set out to work shuffling through all the books. Sylvia first found the record book and set it aside for Poppy. It wasn’t till an hour later of going through the books that Suki’s voice suddenly yelled out.

“I found it!” she called.

Excitedly all the trolls rushed over and around Suki as Sylvia took the old tome.

“Yes! This is it!” she exclaimed setting the book down on a pile and dusting it off.

On the front of the cover was a _very_ illustration as the crest but this one was older and more detailed.

“What is this?” Poppy breathed.

“There is an old legend that speaks about the very first Troll Tree,” Sylvia started as she opened the book straight to a page with an ancient and giant Troll Tree sitting on a great hill of stone and grass where its roots curled and broke over the surface and into a lake below. The lake itself arced around the outcrop of earth with the tree in the shape of a horseshoe. And around the lake were giant walls of stone with waterfalls and above them, hundreds of old trees in an ancient forest. “They say this tree is the very first and it was born in a world of grey, black and white. And from its rainbow colored seeds the first trolls were born into the world, full of life and happiness and the world was painted with color for the first time by the troll’s laughter and presence.”

“Wow…” the Snack Pack gasped as she turned the page with an illustration of the first trolls being born from soft felt seeds of rainbow colors in a grey world gaining color. They were all happy colorful creatures, making everything bright around them with their happiness and magic.

“They say that this tree stopped giving birth to trolls after the first trolls and instead it would bear new troll tree seeds once every hundred years. That is why it is the mother of all the Troll Trees after it and as more trolls started to be born from the first trolls they took the seeds that the First Troll Tree made and went and planted more Troll Trees out in the world. They say this is how the other troll villages came to be.”

Sylvia turned the page and it showed these large swirled seeds that trolls carried together on their backs to new locations. Pictures of new troll Trees sprouting with cheering trolls was on the next page.

“However, the first trolls stayed to protect the First Troll Tree or what they called the Mother Troll Tree since they were immortal and watch over their mortal troll descendants as they plant the new trees and spread happiness. Everything was peaceful and happy and full of life for a time, together the trolls invented singing, dancing, and hugging and brought happiness to everything around them. Then one day a sickness fell over The Glade, poisoning the trees and the water…till it reached the First Troll Tree and all across the land the other Troll Trees started to die with it…”

The Snack Pack gasped as the page was turned and a black and dying glade was shown with the ancient troll tree starting to wither, a black cloudy monster in the background with dark red eyes.

“In order to save the tree, the King of the Mother Troll Tree made a terrible promise to the shadowy sickness that wanted to eat the tree. The monster agreed because it meant it would live forever and eat what it wanted most, happiness and life. But what the shadow really wanted was to make the world turn grey again as it consumed all the colors the tree had brought into the world through its first children,” Sylvia whispered with an ominous voice as she turned the page.

It showed a troll king on his knees, begging to the black smog like creature. Some of the Snack Pack whimpered as they huddled closer.

“However, the first trolls soon realized the first tree was still dying,” Sylvia said gravely as she turned the page again, the new page showed the first tree turning blacker. “The shadow had lied to the King and was taking away the tree’s life and through it the first trolls life-force too. The first trolls began to age and die and turn grey, losing their immortality and happiness and soon their mortal descendants would suffer the same fate.”

The Snack Pack exchanged worried glances and Poppy wondered how much of this story was true. It was a terrifying and sad so far.

“In his last effort the King asked an aging troll wizard-alchemist to help him save the First Troll Tree and all her children trees and all the trolls,” Sylvia continued. The next page showed an elderly troll in blue robes and white hair and a beard surrounded by light. “But to save the tree the very first Troll King had to pay a terrible price, to which he agreed. He threw himself into a forge with silver metal and died, his soul captured in a new sword named after him. And the sword contained his noble soul and selflessness and wish for all trolls to be happy and live. But the power and magic the sword wielded was not enough to slay the pestilent shadow with its light.”

She turned the page showing the very first Troll King vanishing into a rainbow fire and a silver sword with a golden pommel and a rainbow gemstone coming out of the flames. Biggie was sniffing, weeping behind the rest of the group.

“So the wizard-alchemist decided he would tie the sword to the Mother Troll Tree with a spell so that the sword could have the power of life to vanquish death. Using a powerful spell the wizard enchanted the sword and struck the very heart of the tree at the top between all its branches.”

She turned the page and there was the troll wizard-alchemist, a blinding light surging from the sword and the tree.

“But the spell and sword did more than he had thought. The king’s soul in the sword was the very first son of the tree, the first and source of all royal blood for all trolls, and through his life-force and sacrifice he brought the tree back to life through his soul in the sword. By giving his immortality back willingly to the Mother Troll Tree and for all she had brought into the world.”

She turned the next page and the group gasped, glad to see the tree vibrant and alive with the sword glinting in the middle and trolls cheering. The shadow in the sky looked angry…

“And the spell gave the first tree enough power to wash away the sickness from the land and all the other troll trees and trap the shadow in a hideous body, robbing it of its power but not its desire to devour and reap life and happiness. Now the shadow was mortal too and could be destroyed, however…”

Sylvia turned the page and it showed troll after troll trying to pull the sword out of the center of the tree.

“The sword was stuck in the tree and no matter how hard they tried no one could pull it out, not even one of the king’s strong sons or daughters, so the darkness escaped. The wizard-alchemist was baffled and he spoke to the king’s spirit that was now slumbering in the sword and tree and it told him this: _Rest here in the heart of the Tree all the power and joy of Trolls to stop all that is sorrow untold. Only a noble soul, whole and one in self, can free and claim the herald of the Tree with no intent to keep and return all to color and felicity._ ”

“That’s what the emblem has written on the back!” Poppy suddenly gasped, interrupting the story as she yanked the crest out of her hair making her friends gasp and peer at her.

Sylvia nodded and kept reading. “The wizard-alchemist knew that his greatest piece of magic was now the Mother Troll Tree’s very lifeline and that only a soul as noble, whole with life and happiness, and selfless as the first king’s soul inside the sword could pull it out and use the sword to slay the darkness, that is, so long as the sword was returned or the First Troll Tree would die and all other troll trees after it.”

“So not one of those trolls was worthy of pulling out the sword? Not even the princes and princesses of the first king?” Poppy asked with a quiet gasp.

Sylvia shook her head and turned the page which showed the First Troll Tree vibrant and alive with a village of trolls living around it.

“What happened next? Did someone finally free the sword and stop the shadow?” Biggie asked past his sniffles.

“That’s all the story says, and that the descendants and royal family of the first king still guard the sword and Mother Troll Tree and all the values of the first benevolent king in hope that one day someone can pull out the sword if the darkness ever returned,” Sylvia sighed turning the last few pages with illustrations of the First Troll Tree and the shadow. “But it’s a legend, no one around here knows if it true or how long ago this happened. But your emblem Poppy…it can’t be a coincidence that the same words are in this book and that the cover looks like the crest you are holding,” she said flipping the book over so they could see the symbol of the ancient tree with the star shining at the top between its branches.

Poppy nodded, she wished there was a location, something to tell her where this ancient glade was with the first tree. It might be where Branch was going if the stories were true. And if they were true…and the trolls that had taken Branch were indeed the descendants of the first trolls…then what had happened to make them become savage when they had been the protectors of all trolls and their trees…?

“Thank you, Sylvia,” she smiled despite not having the answers she had hoped for.

Sylvia smiled back looked disappointed herself for not being of more help. She picked up the book and passed it to Poppy. “Take it with you, call it a feeling but I think you will need it so take it with you with the record book. If you can find another troll village they might know in which direction to point you in.”

Poppy smiled with gratitude and took the book, hugging it close.

“Thank you, Sylvia, I’ll bring it back.”

“Bring back Branch instead,” Sylvia whispered putting a hand on Poppy’s shoulder. “Do everything you can for each other.”

Poppy stared with a determined frown and nodded. She left with her friends with the two books and went back to their pods to pick up their packs so they could leave before the sun got any lower in the sky. Poppy decided they would go to a troll village to the east in the direction the savage trolls had flown in first and see if they could give them more directions. By the book it was at least a five day trip on foot.

As her friends got their belongings to head out Poppy stood at the edge of the branch looking out with worry and heartache. She closed her eyes and felt despair, she felt no closer to finding Branch and she could still feel him moving further and further away. It was hard to keep her chin up, but she hoped the village they planned to visit would have the answers they needed.

But right now, she wanted to reach out to him again and as she closed her eyes she focused on that feeling, on the bond that connected them. With all her heart she tried to reach him in any way that might tell her where he might be… Her hair began to stir as if by a breeze but there was no wind.

She opened her eyes and gasped, finding her skin and her hair slightly aglow. A single strand of her pink hair wisped out in front of her gaze. As she watched, it shimmered and shifted from pink to cobalt blue and grew stiff in the air like a wire and shot out into the world, like an arrow pointing north till it stopped moving. It glowed with the faintest white light that glistened with their hints of pink and blue.

“Branch…” Poppy whispered as her hair pointed the way of its own accord, responding to the desire deep in her heart and reaching for what she yearned to reach and yearned to reach her back. A hopeful grin spread across Poppy’s face as her gaze followed the string vanishing into the distance. “I know how to find you, I’m coming.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thank you to Palestream, who helped me originally with some of inspiration for the hair magic that comes up in this chapter for our wonderful and favorite pair!


	13. Crossing the Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can feel hatred already for this chapter, go ahead, rant about Thistle. I never said he wasn't an ass, but I fully intend to make you feel rather conflicted about him in the future so don't send him to hell just yet! We all know what it's like to have that emotional baggage, am I right? ;) Next chapter get ready to meet the kingdom of the Glade Trolls and King Oak!

* * *

 

It was the night of the fourth day flying through the forest and fields and other strange lands they flew far above, wary of the dangers that moved below. Branch was used to his armor at this point and his curiosity was growing to meet his supposed family as he spent more time with the Glade Trolls, but it did not stifle the growing sense of loss he felt as he got farther away from Poppy. However, sometime before sunset yesterday, he had felt a strong tugging that impulsively made him look back towards the west in the direction of the Troll Tree. Not long after that, he felt as if Poppy was getting closer, as if closing the distance and the feeling worried him. He had been foolish to hope she might not come after him.

Branch was getting used to the Glade Trolls’ rigid routine which was actually a comfort for him, it kept him focused. They mostly traveled in the day starting from the twilight hours before the sun even rose and made camp around sunset so they would have enough light to gather materials, make camp, and set up the night shifts. Branch was not trusted with guard shifts but he didn’t mind.

In those three days he never once spoke to Thistle who only watched him and issued orders to the others.

Branch also made no effort to get close to the group and he only initially maintained conversation with Rose since she trained him each night before bed and in the morning before they left for an hour and accompanied him on gathering food and supplies by order of Thistle. But slowly the other trolls had started to approach him and despite his misgivings Branch was surprised to quickly find himself surrounded by them in friendly conversation around the fire and getting to know them.

It was strange…to find them smiling and laughing and sharing stories at night while during the day they were stern faced warriors. They especially had a keen interest in Branch’s training and offered to be sparring partners which Rose refused the first few days.

Their comradeship was inspiring, Branch could tell how close these trolls were and how they relied on each other for their very survival with complete trust. He could relate since he had come to feel that way first with Poppy and then slowly their other friends.

He even felt at ease enough to reveal some of his past tonight as they sat around the fire, even as Thistle sat some distance away, staring and listening. The Glade Trolls were horrified to hear how he had lost his colors as he explained how he became a survivalist. It was hard to mention his grandmother’s death and he was shocked by how quickly they reassured him. Insisting he was not to blame and that Rosiepuff’s sacrifice had been noble, a virtue they highly valued among their people.

While it was a bit comforting it was also slightly disturbing to him personally to see it through their point of view. If he could change the past…he would have done anything to save his grandmother. But as he thought on that…he wasn’t sure anymore that he would try to die in her place, because that meant never meeting Poppy or helping her save their people. He knew it was selfish but he also knew it would still have been what his grandmother wanted for him.

The trolls wanted to know how he got his colors back, they seemed hopeful that he might be able to help their king, his father. But as Branch explained how it was Poppy that had gotten him his colors back an awkward silence fell over the camp and Branch didn’t try to hide the furious glare he shot Thistle’s way.

The purple troll didn’t seem to even be paying attention or care for that matter, he was carving out piece of wood with his dagger away from all of them. But Branch knew he was listening. Afterwards, Rose had to break the tension once again.

Branch’s curiosity also increased as he saw more of the Glade Trolls’ nature that wasn’t savage and heard tidbits that hinted at their culture that was not entirely cruel. He had a feeling that their warlike nature might not even be something very old to their people, but quite recent in fact. Especially when they started telling him the story of their ancestry, of the Mother Troll Tree and the ancient shadow… The story was so vague in some parts that Branch was sure there was missing parts to it but he kept those thoughts to himself and simply listened to the legend. It was mindboggling and difficult to believe that someone like him and Thistle were direct descendants of the first troll king in the story, he certainly felt neither of them carried the virtues or worth of that first king.

When he asked about the terrible promise the first king had made to the shadow in the legend, the trolls had gone silent till Rose changed the topic. It only furthered Branch’s suspicion, their silence told him they indeed knew something but were not willing to share, or maybe they couldn’t? He couldn’t be sure but he had a bad feeling.

“Let’s get to your sparing lesson today,” Rose suddenly said to Branch as he nibbled a grilled mushroom thoughtfully.

Branch lowered the leaf with his food onto his lap and looked up at her as she stood, dusting off her pants.

Branch was _sore_ , he may be fit but even the sparring lessons were taking their toll on him as he got used to the rigid training. Twice a day for an hour each time was no easy thing and it left him tired. Not to mention that since the night before, Rose had upped the ante of the training and rather than using staffs they were using their spears which meant Branch was not spared of nasty bruises or cuts. He currently had his arms bandaged from a few scrapes, but thankfully they had medicine that made the cuts close up quickly in a day without any scarring effects. It didn’t make getting the scratches any more pleasant though and he was sure at this point that Poppy felt each one as it happened which fired him up to not get hit as much as possible for her sake, she probably thought he was being tortured or in danger. The idea of her distress greatly troubled him among other thoughts.

“Let me help today,” Moss interjected from his seat on a log in front of the fire. His swamp green skin looked almost like green ash in the firelight while his dark purple hair and nose blazed more brightly in contrast.

“Moss…” Rose sighed for the thousandth time it seemed. “If I want Branch to learn how to throw a spear in the worst possible way, I’ll call you over.”

The other warriors started to snicker as Moss scowled annoyed and glared at all of them.

“Hey, I may not be the best with the spear but that means it can be good practice if Prince Branch can beat me,” he grinned. “Besides, I’m the best archer here, and he should learn the other weapons too.”

Branch smiled back reluctantly. Although Rose had agreed to not call him Prince as much the other troll warriors were having none of it, which made it awkward for Branch. He certainly didn’t feel like a hostage if they were going to treat him with respect, it made the situation a little harder to accept.

“Best archer! As if!” Holly suddenly yapped loudly with derision. She stood up illuminating her shamrock green skin and tied up red hair in the firelight as she spun her bow against the ground by its nock. “I’m the best here after the commander! You couldn’t hit a cave-mouth hilltoad between the eyes if it was ten paces in front of you!” she smirked with a laugh.

Moss snorted at her loudly. “As if, Holly. You’re good with that primitive thing there but you can’t shoot a crossbow to save your life.”

“Want a bet?” she asked picking up her bow. “Whoever hits at least two out of three targets takes the other’s next three night shifts.”

Moss stood up, puffing out his chest. “You’re on.”

“Enough!” Rose barked exasperated. “Enough games, you guys can take care of your silly bets at home. If you want to help train Prince Branch, shut up and just get over here.”

They both looked at the lieutenant with serious gazes and answered together. “Yes, Lieutenant Rose.” Then the two exchanged challenging smirks as Rose turned away and walked off.

Branch sighed and put down the remainder of his dinner on the grassy floor.

“Come on, Prince Branch,” Carter said standing over the blue troll and offered him one of his big hands. “It’ll be easy knocking Moss over with your talent, you got nothing to worry about.”

Branch looked up at the huge brawny troll with darker blue skin and short silvery hair and mustache, and he even had hair on his chest sticking out from under his armor by the neckline. He had a big grin on his face and though he was mostly a quiet troll with an intimidating presence, he had a smile that was the friendliest among them. He was a bit bigger than the other trolls but mostly it was just his broad shoulders and thick arms, he was nowhere as big as Biggie, maybe half his size.

Branch smiled back reluctantly and took his hand, the big troll yanked him up to his feet like he weighed nothing. It nearly made Branch trip but he righted himself before he could stumble and turned around and picked up his spear against the stump he had been leaning against.

“Carter…” Branch started off as he walked next to him and behind the bickering archers towards the clear spot Rose was waiting at. “Can I ask you something?” he asked quietly.

“You want to know if I’m a half-breed like you,” Carter guessed.

Branch balked, a bit ashamed he was figured out so easily.

“I don’t mean to offend,” he assured uneasily.

“No offense taken, Prince Branch,” he said with a friendly smile and his deep rough voice. “I am a half-breed, my father was a giant troll like the one in your village,” he said proudly. “My big size and strength has made me an asset and Crown Prince Thistle knows it, which is why I’ve been his personal guard for years and always by his side in battle. He is not prejudice like some of the other elder trolls in our kingdom, he sees our strengths and weaknesses for what they are and makes sure we get to use them right.”

Branch stared surprised and mulled over the information for a moment. More importantly he was surprised by Carter’s pride in his heritage considering the prejudice of his own people and the affection and loyalty he clearly had for Thistle.

“Was it hard…getting them to respect and accept you?” Branch asked glancing up at the troll as they walked at a slower pace.

“It was at first,” Carter admitted with a distant look in his eyes. “See most giant trolls are gentle and kind, not the best for warriors. Pushovers, really. I had to prove since I was young that I wasn’t like them, I was bullied and eventually I became a mean tempered troll that used to beat up the other troll kids…” he sighed as he recalled. “One day I beat the kid of some noble troll Elder and I was going to be sentence to death for it, but Crown Prince Thistle saved me. He saw my potential I guess, and offered me a place and training in the royal guard much to the protest of the Elders. But they had no choice but to obey their Prince and I’ve never looked back.”

Branch was stunned silent. Branch found it hard to believe that the same troll that had threatened him and Poppy had saved someone before in such a way. It made Thistle…almost not seem so bad, almost. A cynical part of Branch reminded him that Thistle could have shown mercy not out of compassion but to gain something he wanted.

“Now everyone fears the great strength of Carter!” the troll suddenly declared with a robust laugh, smacking Branch’s back who fell straight forward onto his face and into the dirt with a groan. He had been too distracted with his thoughts… “Prince Branch!” Carter howled guiltily and quickly grabbed the prince’s shoulders and pulled him up to his feet. “I’m so sorry, your highness! I didn’t think you would fall over!”

The other trolls had stopped and were rushing back while Rose just hung back with an amused smile as she tried not to giggle.

“It’s fine,” Branch grumbled as he whipped his face free of dirt. “I’m fine!” he snapped putting his hands up and making Holly and Moss halt in their run.

“I truly am sorry…” Carter mumbled with his face dark and flushed with his embarrassment. “I’ll take any punishment you like, my Prince...”

Branch shot a reproachful glare at the large blue troll. “I’m not punishing anyone for a friendly shove, you guys need to stop being so tense and formal. I’m not Thistle,” he pointed out annoyed. “And even if you guys want to argue I still say there is no reason you have to keep calling me and treating me like a prince.”

Carter stared at Branch surprised, like he didn’t know what to make of what he had just been told. “But you are our prince…” he said quietly.

Branch let out a frustrated growl and walked towards Rose where she was waiting just watching with an unreadable gaze that was warm, as if admiring as she stared at Branch.

“Let’s just get training,” Branch huffed exasperated as he squared off in front of Rose and brandished his spear, ready. He glared with an intense and fiery gaze.

Rose smirked at him as she studied him thoughtfully but kept holding her spear casually. “Moss, you wanted to spar, get in here,” she called suddenly, she sounded amused.

Branch scowled confused but didn’t argue as a grinning Moss took her place. Moss crouched awkwardly some paces away with his spear at the ready and had a challenging yet smug smile on his face.

“Alright, Prince Branch, give me your best shot. I won’t go easy on you!”

That’s it. Branch was tired of hearing that title and in his current mood of irritation he lunged without warning with a growl ripping past his teeth.

Moss gasped, barely deflecting the blow. Branch’s spear shone silvery in the weak light of the moon and distant firelight as it slashed next to the troll’s head. With a quick twist the spear smacked into Moss’s neck and sent him tumbling. Branch leapt into the air and his spear raised up before he lunged it down.

Moss managed to deflect the blow and spin the end of his spear towards Branch’s feet as he landed. Branch was ready however and he leapt backward and in the same move stabbed forward. They exchanged blows and Moss was constantly on the defense against Branch’s offense.

Branch was blind with adrenaline, determined to win this fight. Suddenly he twisted his spear in the air after deflecting a blow and got too close to his sparring partner with a single step. With one powerful swing he knocked the spear out of Moss’s hands and smacked him to the ground with a loud thud.

His spear launched forward and stopped a few inches from Moss’s chest who was panting hard and staring up shocked.

Branch glared back with a fighter’s expression which shattered the moment he saw blood running down Moss’s cheek.

“Moss!” he suddenly gasped tossing his spear aside and rushing forward. “I’m so sorry, I got carried away…” he panted horrified as he pulled the green troll up to his feet.

Moss touched his face and as he saw the blood he looked back at Branch with a wide grin that made Branch flinch back with confusion.

“That was amazing, Prince Branch! You got me good,” he beamed.

Holly whistled. “Nice cut, Moss.”

“I’m going to let this one heal naturally and scar over,” Moss declared proudly much to Branch’s utter confusion as he stared with his mouth open. These trolls were crazy.

“That’s a good badge of honor, it was a great blow,” Carter agreed as he got closer to take a look. “Isn’t that the move Rose usually does? You got some real talent to pick it up that fast, Prince Branch,” he praised with a proud nod towards him as he picked up Branch’s spear off the ground and passed it to him.

Branch was still in disbelief as he accepted his weapon and turned his bewildered expression on Rose. She was grinning but she was staring with understanding as she came up to him.

“It’s your first hit as real warrior, Branch. For one of us to receive it from our prince is like a badge of honor,” she explained.

Branch closed his mouth and still stared. They were definitely crazy.

“Why bother keeping it?” suddenly growled a voice.

They all stiffened, falling silent and turned to see Thistle standing some ways away with a spear in his hand.

“It’s not like he will ever become one of us,” Thistle sneered. “Didn’t you hear? He doesn’t want to stay after all, he wants to be with soft round-ears singing and dancing all day and hugging like a pansy.”

Branch glowered, turning a hard gaze on the purple troll.

“Pick up your spear. I’m your next opponent.”

That caught Branch by surprise, making him stiffen. Why was the cold Thistle suddenly interested in him now? Why did he want to spar and train with him so suddenly?

“I’m already holding my spear,” Branch growled back as the other trolls quickly stepped aside.

Thistles dark turquoise hair suddenly lunged out and Branch leapt to the right, avoiding the unexpected attack that obscured his line of sight. As his feet hit the ground he gasped as he saw silver only inches from his face, he managed to turn his head away in time but not before the metal sliced through his cheek, fire burning through him and he screeched with pain.

His spear shot up and he smacked the other spear away and a lace of blood flung through the air after it, shimmering in the light, hot and dark red before splattering on the ground.

Branch took an unsteady step back and turned his eyes up to Thistle who lazily now twirled his spear at his side as his hair returned to its neutral place.

“See, now if your spear had been up you might have been able to avoid that cut.” He smirked, a cold toothy smile as he started to pace. “ _Might_ being the key word.”

Branch growled in his throat, ignored the hot sticky liquid dripping down his face and the quiet plip-plops as it hit the metal of his chest plate and echoed in his ears. He lifted his spear and started to pace in the opposite direction as they began to circle like wolves.

This wasn’t a sparring session like he was used to, Rose _never_ aimed at his face and though she used her hair it was usually to maneuver or deflect. This was the first time he saw it used for attack or deception and he was wary. Thistle was being…

Thistle lunged, he rushed forward and his spear came down with a vengeance of silvery light in the moonlight. Branch parried, smacking the point aside and lunging forward but before he knew it hair slammed into his face and knocked him back into the ground.

“Sloppy.”

Branch coughed, pushing himself up as he heard Thistle’s taunting voice.

“What happened to your brains, brother?” he mocked with a wry smirk. “Can’t figure me out fast enough?”

Thistle suddenly leapt, he was fast and the spear was barreling down towards Branch’s legs.

Branch’s hair spiraled forward and his blue hair curled around the spear and yanked it sideways as it got inches to his body. His hand was ready and he slashed forward his spear only to see turquoise hair had flung forward and grabbed his spear in return, but not fast enough and some of the hair was sliced as the tip of his weapon slashes and scratched Thistle’s cheek.

Thistle looked shocked and he yanked back, letting go of Branch’s spear as he back flipped in the air and landed a few feet away, tearing his spear free of Branch’s azure hair.

Branch took the opportunity to stand back up, but he felt his legs shake as he let out an uneasy breath.

Was…Thistle trying to kill him?

Branch glanced sideways and saw the other troll warriors staring stiffly with wide eyes, not daring to move or make a noise.

“Pay attention!”

Branch gasped, leaning backwards as the spear came down towards his face again and a metallic screech filled the air as the spear slashed down his breastplate making spark fly.

“What was that earlier? A lucky hit?” Thistle continued, his grin savage. “Where’s your mind? Certainly not in the fight! This is how you’ll get killed in a real fight-” he lunged, his weapon shooting forward, “-by not staying focused!”

Branch twirled his spear and metal kissed metal, hissing and shattering the light in blinding sparks.

“Not bad!” Thistle laughed as their spears deflected each other and flung sideways. “Maybe if you hadn’t been so distracted singing that day, Rosiepuff might still be alive!”

Branch balked for a moment, shocked and then he screamed, racing forward. That crossed the line!

Branch’s attacks suddenly became erratic, furious as he lunged without a clear pattern that was simply blind with anger and his sense of caution was gone. Branch was seeing red and he would make Thistle swallow his own words as their spears smacked endlessly against each other in loud shrieks. Each time Thistle calmly and swiftly redirected or deflected each blow, never seeming unfazed or hurried. And in that contingency Branch didn’t realize he was landing few blows while Thistle landed blunt attacks with almost each of his strikes but Branch was oblivious to the pain and danger as he was to the horrified gasps of the other trolls watching.

Each cut and scrape only seemed to lend Branch more fury as less and less of his blows seemed to make it to his target.

Thistle, though obviously concentrating, looked disappointed and bored when his hair suddenly swept forward which Branch blocked with his own in a cascade of color but missed the spear sweeping down to his feet.

Sharp pain suddenly exploded across his left ankle and then blunt force had him falling to his knees. His heart hammering and his lungs screaming for air as he panted dizzily and dropped his spear before him.

Thistle leaned forward, whispering in his ear. “Anger makes you blind and unfocused in battle and that is how you lose, never forget that. Don’t think you can arrogantly go off thinking you can win every fight with just a little real training, especially against me if you’re going to let me get in your head so easily. You owe your life to everyone but yourself. Mother died because of you…don’t forget that, because I won’t,” he growled harshly.

Branch felt his heart clench with pain and he peered up with bleary eyes as he stared into icy eyes and for the first time he realized he saw hate deep in Thistle’s eyes. Branch’s breath caught in his chest as he realized Thistle blamed him for their mother’s death as much as their grandmother’s and knowing that was a betraying pain deep inside Branch’s heart he thought he would never feel again. Guilt ate at him again painfully, for something he could not change. Something he thought he had finally forgiven himself for thanks to Poppy.

Branch realized he had let Thistle goad him into his inevitable defeat tonight .

Thistle leaned back with an expression of disgust plain on his face. “Look at you, you’re pathetic. Why did she have to run off and die for you? She left everything and everyone behind for someone who wasn’t worth it and caused so much strife and suffering for years afterwards, everything at home collapsed. What a selfish Troll our mother, all for you,” he sneered taking a step back, his voice still quiet. “To think I and father lost everything because of you…and now I have to watch you get all chummy with what you don't even want and don't even deserve,” he snorted a hard sarcastic laugh and pulled his spear up as he turned his body halfway in the other direction facing away from Branch. “Next time I won’t go so easy on you, brother. Try not to disappoint me, or I just might kill you by _accident_ and finish what was started all those years ago.”

Thistle turned completely away and marched off into the night.

Branch groaned and he could no longer keep his blurry eyes open as the blood loss and pain caught up with him. His eyes shut to blackness and he collapsed into the grass, faintly hearing Rose, Carter, and Moss distortedly scream his name as they rushed to him. Somewhere in there, in the background of noise, he could faintly hear Poppy frantically yelling his name somewhere in his mind trying to reach him before he blacked out seeing only Thistle’s deadly and cold blue gaze in his mind before they too turned black.

 


	14. King Oak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews and great words everyone, I am ever so glad to know the story is appreciated! Enjoy the latest chapter and excuse the length but I promise you it is worth it. There are some exciting revelations for you to discover this chapter, enjoy! (Also there might not be an update till next week, just a heads-up.)

* * *

 

Dreams were distilled, strange visions that seemed to melt into each other. One moment Branch could see Cooper, Smidge, DJ Suki…everyone in the Snack Pack wearing new strange leafy outfits obviously meant for camouflage but their flare and carefully selected buttons and other accessories told him they were a little bit more than function over fashion. Where was Poppy?

Then words came out of his mouth and they were not in his own voice and he knew the answer. What a strange dream, he could see them traveling. Then the next scene suddenly came, jarring and confusing and some kind of one eyed bird swooping in and making them all run. The distress was real and he twitched in his sleep. Then the scene shifted again and there was a campfire and a sense of safety making him want to sigh.

Branch woke with a start, gasping as pain came rushing in and he groaned reaching for his leg.

“Wow, don’t move, Branch,” commanded a stern yet kind voice.

Branch blinked disoriented as he saw sunlight high above and felt the air whipping about him. He looked to the left as his vision cleared as he saw the buzzlbee’s wings moving so quickly they were nearly an invisible blur.

“Ugh,” he groaned and leaned his head back into the packs and realized there was a blanket over him which he could barely feel with the throbbing pain running around his body. He also had no armor on. A powerful presence of worry seemed to seep into him and he tried to calmly reassure it by second nature, knowing it was Poppy trying to reach him and understand his distress.

“What happened?” he finally mumbled.

“You fell unconscious last night,” Rose said tensely.

Branch frowned, he knew that much but he held his tongue before a sarcastic remark came out.

“And?” he asked gruffly as he rubbed his arm and looked down at the white spider silk bandages.

“Well not much happened after that, Moss, Carter, and I bandaged you up. We had to take off your armor, you were pretty wounded,” she said with a troubled sigh.

Branch grumbled and forced himself into a sitting position much to Rose’s protests and he groaned in pain with each movement and ignored her.

He finally slumped into the packs with a relieved sigh as the pain dulled as he stopped moving. Then he glared ahead and didn’t see Thistle’s buzzlbee and then shot his gaze around them.

“He’s not here…” Rose said knowing exactly what he was looking for. “The Crown Prince, Carter, and Markus left earlier than us to scout ahead. We are headed towards the Bonefalcon Canyon, it’s a rather dangerous place with large carnivorous birds that swoop out of the canyon walls.”

Branch grunted and relaxed, returning his gaze to Rose after looking around the more arid landscape around them with its dry desert like plants and clay dirt. The sun beat down harshly here even as they flew under the available paths of shadows provided by the sparse trees.

“What was that last night?” Branch growled finally, his tone almost accusatory.

Rose tensed and looked back at him with a hard and worried frown. They were at the very back of the formation of flying buzzlbees.

“What do you mean?” she asked unevenly.

“What do you think!?” Branch suddenly snapped loudly. “It was like he was trying to kill me!” he spat the words out accusingly as he glared.

Rose frowned deeply, her eyes dark. “I don’t know Branch…I mean…it was a bit early for your training to get so harsh…”

“ _A bit_?” he repeated sarcastically.

Rose sighed, “But the Crown Prince has a point, you were angry even when you fought Moss and some anger can be good but when you let an enemy get it your head and let that take over…it can get you killed,” she defended much to Branch’s chagrin. “But I think you could have learned that without…the harshness, Thistle showed you,” she said quietly and uncomfortable. “But like I said before, he’s not very merciful, he knows what a real fight is like and he would have been just as harsh sparring with anyone else.”

“Really? Including bring up our mother and grandma?” Branch countered sourly, he didn’t believe it and by the way Rose looked away he knew he was right.

She let out a long and heavy breath, sounding conflicted just by how she breathed. “I don’t know what to tell you, Branch… I can’t fix the problems between you and Thistle and it’s not my place to speak badly of him.”

Branch frowned, suddenly feeling awful for putting Rose in such a difficult position. He finally let out a long and dreary breath of air to calm himself but it did little good as he would have hoped.

“Train me harder.”

Rose’s red ears perked up and turned back to stare at him surprised, meeting his hard blue gaze.

“Train me harder these next few days so he can’t do that to me again,” he said and then smirked. “You and no one will have to worry about him getting into my head and getting me killed, or me chocking him that is…while I am here for now,” Branch admitted with a bit of contempt.

Rose gave him a reluctant wry smile as she nodded once. “Starting tomorrow morning, you’re ankle won’t be better till then. The cut was pretty deep and you need to rest.”

Branch snorted in agreement and fell silent. He wondered what would happen when they arrived to their village. He didn’t want to stay, or at least he wasn’t planning to. He wondered…confused and conflicted about his strange situation.

The rest of the day he rested, having strange dreams about Poppy. He only stayed truly alert for the flight through the canyon when they met up with Thistle’s group. The flight was harrowing to say the least, even flying low and in the shade they were spotted by the giant midnight colored birds with white feathered heads that looked like skulls. They were ambushed, racing through the stone walls to escape the screeching beasts. During the whole endeavor Branch felt like his heart might burst out of his chest.

And he felt helpless as Rose navigated, dodged, and raced past snapping beaks and all he could do was hold on for dear life. When they leveled out he was able to launch his hair out and smack one of the vultures that came too close. In comparison he watched some of the other warriors led by Thistle completely jump off their mount and onto the birds to sink their spears into the birds heads and leave them to plummet to their deaths as they used their hair to rope themselves back on to their buzzlbees. Moss and Holly let lose arrows even as they rode.

In the end it was a trying day and he couldn’t be gladder as they left the danger behind. In the meantime he contemplated these trolls’ skill at dispatching their enemies with such precision.

The last three days of the trip were long and Branch and Thistle were back to not talking to each other, only sharing occasional hostile stares. Branch put more effort and concentration into his training than he had previously after his leg recovered the next day thanks to their medicine, but they were running out and Thistle ordered the remainder be reserved for emergencies. So the last two days he had to be more careful and he didn’t let Rose ease up on him even as he started to teach him how to use a sword. In the end his arms and left leg had bandages again but not as many as when they had first started and the wounds were mostly just scratches.

The environment around them had really changed the last two days of their travel as they entered an ancient wooded forest with trees that climbed so high they seemed to vanish into the sky in a mantle of green far above their heads.

Just flying through the ancient thick trunks covered in moss and mushrooms Branch knew this forest was older than anything he had ever seen or read about. Even the creatures that lurked here were larger and different and while some sunlight pierced the green heavens above to the forest below, the place felt like it lived in a constant twilight.

“We're almost there,” Rose said excitedly as their buzzlbees flew over an ancient petrified fallen log. She was obviously excited to be home and in the meantime Branch was fighting between excitement, curiosity, and nervousness.

“How long have you been away?” he asked quietly as he cautiously scanned the trees from where he sat in the back of the saddle.

“Almost a year now,” she whispered back to him, her green eyes were shining. “You’ll love the Mother Troll Tree, Branch.”

Branch frowned, that was quite a long time and he nodded absently as he kept looking around the forest as they passed through it. She certainly had been serious when she said she had spent most of her time away with Thistle and a few of the others that never left the prince’s side like Carter, Markus, and Moss.

“Branch.”

He froze and sharply turned his gaze to Rose who was staring at him with a strange expression. She bit her lip and looked at him hopefully for a moment.

“Will you stay with us a while at least? I’m sure your father would love it you stayed just a little, I mean…the kingdom has been looking for you for over twenty-four years now. Don’t you want to see where you’re from? I promise I’ll show you around,” she said quietly, smiling. “I know you want to get back to your friends and home but…we’re your friends now too, aren’t we? At least, I hope I am?” she asked with a worried voice.

Branch stared surprised and he opened his mouth to respond but paused. He let out a deep and long sigh as he relaxed against the packs and turned the spear in his hands. His emotions were a confusing mess as he thought it over. Much to his surprise, he did feel like they were his friends now, they weren’t his captors, Thistle was but…that was an entirely different and complicated matter.

“I do think of you as a friend, Rose. And Carter, Holly, Moss…you’ve all been better than I thought you’d be,” he started off with an honest voice. “But I _have_ to get back to Poppy, she’s been following us this whole time and I don’t want her to get hurt trying to reach me.”

Rose beamed at first but then stared with shock and confusion. “She’s been following us…? How do you know?”

In the quiet forest he looked back the way they came and frowned. “Call it a feeling…” he said warily, not wanting to share the details right there at that moment. Friends or not, he was still cautious and after the way they had treated his friends he didn’t want to share any kinds of vulnerabilities till he knew where his situation stood with his father. “But I know Poppy very well, she would never leave a troll behind. Anyone behind, really, you could say it’s her motto.”

Rose frowned worried and glanced back towards the head of the formation and then back to Branch.

“It’s dangerous out there, you saw that these past few days.” Branch nodded with serious agreement. They had come across all kinds of hostile terrains and creatures, the worst being the bonefalcons in his opinion. “Tell King Oak, if you ask him he’ll send a team to go help her and bring her here safely.”

“Them,” Branch corrected though his voice showed his obvious mistrust. “Our friends wouldn’t let her come alone.”

Rose nodded, understanding. “She may be a round-ear, Branch, but our people know they need to treat other leaders with respect especially if the king orders it.”

Branch tried not to make a face but was not entirely successful, he did however manage not to say a rude comment.

They were quiet again and as the temperature started to drop he knew the sun was setting as the shadows lengthened and darkened below the canopy of the ancient trees. An hour more passed of silent flying when the trees began to appear further and further apart, they were mountains to these trolls and even a Bergen would have looked miniscule next to their enormity.

But Branch knew a clearing was coming up or some kind of opening in the forest. He held his breath as ahead the light of the sun became clearer between the trees.

The final giant sentinel passed them and the burning radiance of the setting sun made him blink for a moment before he opened his eyes to a sight that could only come from a fairytale.

“Wow…” he breathed as he took in the new world.

Right in front of him was a lake that arced around a giant outcrop of stone and grassy earth with thick roots that weaved into the clear glinting waters below that shone with shades of azure, lavender, and fire in the setting light.

The Mother Troll Tree was _massive_. Their troll tree in comparison was a sapling next to this behemoth with its giant and ancient trunk that seemed to have intricate designs in its very bark that would not be considered natural at first glance. The tree had many nooks in it and from each one light poured out from the very center of the tree through windows and large hollows that were entrances into the tree. High above, its massive branches were support beams to bridges that hung over the lake and ran to the pale stone cliffs where more windows with light streamed from the stone walls carved out with walkways, stairs, shops, and homes. There were even pods on the edges and flat areas that jutted out from the cliffs. And there were intricate pod homes around the roots of the troll tree. The tree itself was obviously fashioned into a palace and central hub for the village with many floors throughout the mighty trunk. Large pods hung from the branches but they were all different in design to the ones Branch had learned to know back at home. These had a network of bridges between them and vines with blossoms hanging around them from the branches.

Branch could feel the air of magic and power the tree seemed to breathe into the world around it, light and peaceful, positive in energy.

Waterfalls made a soft song over the place and they broke the otherwise perfect stone walls that encompassed the glade that surrounded the tree and lake. Bridges crossed and made paths over the streams and cascading mist away from the falls. The lake itself was full of colorful lotuses of every color and boats with glowing lanterns as trolls navigated the waters around the verdant paradise below the great shade of the ancient troll tree.

Above the glade on the top of the stone walls was a continuation of the ancient forest that protected the Mother Troll Tree at its heart. Far in the distance loomed impressive mountains and a darker wood seemed to climb down from them into the old growth forest.

New and fascinating plants grew around the water and every other free space in the glade. Insects glowed and floated about, fireflies started to twinkle like the darkening night sky above and between the massive branches of the old troll tree.

 _This_ was a kingdom worthy of legend and the number of trolls here was innumerable that walked about and even a few could be occasionally heard quietly singing, their voices echoed out over the glade.

“This is…” Branch couldn’t even find the words as he stared about in wonder.

“Amazing isn’t it?” Rose sighed. “Like I said you have to take a tour at least.”

Branch nodded absently in agreement as they flew in over the town between the bends of the curved lake and the land between it that led to the base of the tree. A market was overflowing here with all kinds of trolls and their shop stands, but the most abundant type of troll were the ones with sharp ears but Branch picked up others in the crowd too.

Trolls on the paths they walked between buildings paused and looked up. Guards turned up to stare too that patrolled the streets and murmuring quickly broke out as they recognized the group with their prince at the lead. Cheers and hellos called out from below but some of the voices were worried, they knew the prince only returned home when he had dire news to report or a battle was coming. They didn’t notice the extra armored member of the group that flew over too quickly to begin with.

They flew straight for the tree and straight into one of the massive hollows on one of the lower levels of the trunk. As they passed the entrance Branch realized ancient troll carvings were indeed part of the tree’s exterior design as they passed to troll sentinels guarding the entrance to the hollow. As they entered the light of glowing yellow mushrooms dappled from above and Branch realized they were inside a large multi-floor stable.

There were at least a hundred individual stable rooms each with a buzzlbee inside. Guards and attendants walked around the giant wooden room and paused looking up surprised as they saw the group. As they landed they were already swarmed by other excited trolls in a crowd. Attendants came up and took the reins of the beasts.

Branch slipped off feeling wary and by instinct stayed near Rose, the familiarity feeling a little safer as some social anxiety started to claw at him like back when he started to help Poppy with her duties. But Rose quickly rushed off and greeted another troll, exchanging a hug and leaving Branch alone.

“Come on, it’s time to go see father,” Thistle said suddenly by Branch’s side.

Branch nearly leapt out of his skin as he heard the neutral voice of the other troll. He flinched and turned a hard look on Thistle.

“Give me your spear, sword, and other weapons first. We have to leave them here.”

Branch didn’t argue and passed the weapons to him, pulling even a dagger out of the bottom of the breastplate. “Can I ask why?” he asked quietly afterwards as the purple troll took the steel.

“The Mother Troll Tree is sacred, we don’t allow weapons further into the heart of the tree except in emergencies,” Thistle explained calmly and without the usual hostility he had in his voice. In fact he looked distant and cold at the moment as he turned away and led Branch towards a weapon wrack where he left their spears and other weapons.

Branch noticed the curious stares as trolls started to realize they had never seen him before but the squad said nothing as they were asked by their friends and colleagues.

Ignoring the other trolls Thistle began to walk down the pathway out of the room and towards a large hallway that led further into the tree. Branch silently followed and in the silence only could hear the shifting of their armor echoing and bouncing off the walls. All around him he could feel the tree itself breathing, alive and vibrant.

“When you meet father, try not to stare,” Thistle started off, sounding nonchalant much to Branch’s confusion. “I’m sure you knowing what it’s like to be grey, so try not to be insensitive. He’s a rather gloomy, sullen, and sometimes grumpy troll. But he has still been an effective king if not a bit distant to his people. I know you have a lot of complaints but try not to wear him out, he is getting old after all.”

Branch stared and a smart remark wanted to pass his mouth but it didn’t. He was more interested in the way Thistle seemed to be looking out for the king. To Branch, this said there was more that was going on below the surface than Thistle was letting on, in fact the purple troll sounded conflicted, like he was angry yet nervous. Like he cared but also wanted to act like he didn’t, it was confusing to watch. So Branch observed him as they walked at a brisk pace down the hallways and then took an elevator to a higher floor.

The elevator was a marvel of ingenuity, a carved wooden box lined with intricate metal lining, with levers and buttons against one wall by the doors made of metal bars in the shape of tree branches.

The two trolls were silent and only inches apart, it was tense and the air could have easily been sliced between them with a knife.

Branch watched the floors pass them by as his only distraction. The elevator stopped with a jarring halt and the doors opened to a great room with large plots of soil along the walls and plants growing. He absently wished Poppy was here to see this room and the paintings on the walls. Large portraits hung along the long hallway that he assumed they were members of the royal family. They all led to a pair of giant carved doors.

“Come on…” Thistle said quietly almost the edge of a grumble in his voice and Branch was sure he heard his nervousness even more clearly this time.

Thistle took the lead and Branch walked stiffly after him and he couldn’t bring himself to even look at the portraits. However, he couldn’t help but pause as he noticed a portrait with a familiar face, his mother…and next to her a troll had arms around her shoulders. He had a fond and happy smile and Branch swore he did look a lot like him in the features of this face. But unlike him this troll had dark sky blue skin, an indigo nose and tall hair that was a dark navy shade and a beard.

Branch didn’t get to observe more as he heard the doors pushed open. Voices poured out into the hallway.

“…complaining about letting more sparkle trolls visiting and selling…”

“Enough, Elder Ash, I will not hear more complaints about sparkle trolls,” said a commanding and exasperated voice that boomed with deep resonance.

The voices fell silent with the creaking of the swinging doors as it caught their attentions. At least a dozen or more eyes turned to stare and Branch felt his breath catch as he saw the large room with a large round table and trolls sitting around it in their wood carved seats with scrolls before them. The seat opposite and facing towards the door was the largest, most elegant chair and on it sat a faded grey blue-tinted troll with coal black hair that had silvery white streaks in it. He had piercing blue eyes, sharp ears, and a black braided beard falling from his chin with small vines with leaves tying it at the end. His crown was made of metal, woven branches and real vines with little leaves growing straight up his hair and seemed to weave over his hair in a regal fashion and pattern.

“Who is interrupting this meeting!” barked the grey troll as he stood up smashing his fist against the table. He paused, his eyes widening as he saw Thistle. “My son… When did you arrive?”

Murmuring broke out of surprised from the other trolls as they exchanged curious looks.

“Just a few moments ago, father,” Thistle said with a formal tone as he stepped in. Branch gulped and lingered behind uncertainly. “Forgive the interruption to this meeting, father, Elders…but this is urgent news.”

King Oak sat back down looking worried as she stared at his son with a frown. “You’ve been gone nearly a year, Thistle…” he sighed, seeming lost on what to say before he fell back to a simple question. “What trouble brings you back home this time?”

“No trouble this time, father,” Thistle assured but his voice sounded plain. He turned and gestured to Branch, making the gazes follow him. “I succeeded. This is Branch.”

Gasps came out from the assembled trolls and some stood to get a better look. King Oak was frozen, eyes wide as he stared.

Branch swallowed, nervous but his face was hard and wary as he tensely stood by the entrance and stared out into the room.

“The lost prince...? Prince Branch…? It can’t be! How is this possible…? Where’s the Queen…?” There was a swarming of talking and questions but the king was speechless.

Finally, King Oak seemed to blink and ripped his eyes away from Branch to the other trolls. “Leave! I wish to speak to my sons in private. This meeting will continue later.”

Sons…that sounded so strange to Branch and he felt his anxiety climb even higher as he wished Poppy was next to him holding his hand to calm him down.

The trolls nodded, some looked disgruntled but no one dared speak out as they gathered their things and prepared to leave.

Branch stepped aside but was surprised as the trolls that headed out stopped and patted his shoulder or offered to shake his hand and welcome him home. It was all very disorienting and it all seemed to happen in a blink of an eye as the last troll left and the doors slammed shut.

“Branch…my son, come closer so I can have a look at you,” said the king looking awestruck.

Branch turned his cautious gaze towards him and with one last breath to calm his nerves he began walking around the table towards the older troll.

As he got closer he noticed that despite being an aged troll, King Oak was still strong and sure of frame. His chest still pushed out forward with purpose and strength and his hair was neatly cared for despite its greying and he wore noble garbs and stood up straight and without the slightest hunch. He was strikingly different to old King Peppy.

Branch finally stopped a foot away and stared with an uncertain and serious frown. He was tense…was he supposed to bow? Or hug him? Or…something?

The king suddenly pulled him into a hug and Branch grunted surprised as the beard tickled the side of his face. He was like a rock at first but in a few seconds he relaxed and hesitantly wrapped his arms around his father and sudden relief washed through him that felt so strange and foreign. A sense of happiness… He heard sniffling and he pulled back alarmed seeing the king with watery eyes.

“It’s been so long since I held you my son, since the day you were born in fact,” he sniffed sounding amazed before wiping his eyes. “Look at you,” he gripped Branch’s arms and shook them gently with a squeeze of his own big hands. “You are a striking image of me in my youth! Of course your colors are a lot brighter than mine were but… How wonderful, just look at you!” he laughed heartily as he looked him over.

Thistle had walked closer and his expression had become hard and unreadable as he watched.

“Well…say something Branch, my boy!” the king insisted taking a step back. “Why so quiet?”

“Umm…it’s nice to meet you?” he finally said after a moment’s hesitation and he ended up shrugging. King Oak laughed and shook his head in amusement and Branch felt himself smile a little. His father seemed reasonably friendly much to his relief. “I’m sorry…I’ve had a week to think of what to say when I met you but…I guess I’ve been in denial more than anything,” he admitted sheepishly.

King Oak frowned and pulled up his seat and sat down. “Why is that, Branch? Tell me, how is your mother? What did she say about me, your family…about your home?” he asked worriedly yet his eyes were shining with hope.

Branch gulped, feeling his heart break a little at what he was about to say. He sighed heavily.

“I…um…never met mother, she was eaten by a Bergen when I was still a baby trying to protect us. Grandma Rosiepuff raised me till I was four but she never had the chance to tell me about my family, in fact she told me you both were eaten before I even opened my eyes,” he admitted with a sad note in his voice. His heart felt like it was ripping in his chest as he saw the shattered look cross the king’s face, a look of utter heartbreak and defeat. But in his gaze there was also acceptance, like he had long known of her fate and all he had been waiting for was confirmation.

King Oak sighed heavily and sadly, leaning back into his seat. “I see…I was hopeful…but I knew it might be in vain… But, at least you are alright and home again,” he thanked quietly and with a distant look as Branch twitched uncomfortable with the last words. “What is a Bergen?” he finally asked after the momentary silence.

Branch decided he needed to sit down for this conversation. He pulled up one of the seats and sat down, feeling his muscles ache a bit.

He let out a sigh as he grimaced and didn’t know where to begin.

Thistle spoke first. “They are large sluggish creatures that are about the height of two tusk-wolfs, father. They walk up front like trolls do but are a lot uglier. According to the round-ears and Branch they no longer eat trolls as they once did. Apparently, they are even now allies to the village Branch was raised in,” he said with a note of disgust in his voice.

Branch shot a reproachful glare at Thistle before looking at King Oak who was scowling angrily which made Branch balk.

“Your village is friends with them? After they ate your mother?” he snarled.

“And grandma,” Branched added reluctantly and realized that wasn’t helpful as the king’s expression got angrier. “But they’ve changed, they haven’t eaten trolls in twenty years and it is all thanks to Queen Poppy. We don’t need to hate them, some of them are even our good friends,” he concluded, hoping to calm the king’s wrath. “They only did it so they could feel happiness,” he explained. “But Poppy helped them realize that happiness was already inside them…” he trailed off with a fond smile as he glanced away and towards the walls with paintings and thought of how amazing she was. “She helped me realize that too.”

“What do you mean?” King Oak asked confused, thoughtful as he observed his youngest son.

Branch looked up and shrugged. “After Grandma Rosiepuff was taken by a Bergen to save me… I turned grey and I was grey for twenty years until Poppy helped me regain my colors, by showing me happiness was inside me. I just needed her help to find it,” he said softly with affection.

He warily looked up and saw King Oak smiling warmly at him, his rage seemed calmed.

“It sounds like you’re in love, my boy,” he said kindly.

Branch smiled and nodded, surprised by how comfortable he was. “She’s my happiness, what can I say?” he chuckled.

King Oak grinned as he nodded. “If she got your colors back then she sounds like a very special troll, just like your mother. I lost my colors the day I admitted I lost her,” he said with heavy regret. “I will never forget her, our marriage was unique and I loved her dearly… I’ll tell you the story later when I am more composed,” he promised which Branch admitted excited him a bit. He wanted to know. “Do you want to marry this girl?”

Branch was caught by surprised by the question but then chuckled as he ran a hand through his hair nervously. “I hope. One day, if she says yes.”

“Why wouldn’t she? You’re a prince after all! Well-suited for any queen by right of birth you are, my son,” he chortled before his voice became serious and wise. “But you never know. You might find someone else you love even more before then. Don’t rush, she may be a queen but you don’t need to marry her for station or gratitude, you have that freedom. But I do need to thank her for helping you, Branch.”

“I doubt it, there will never be anyone but Poppy for me. It’s not her title I care about, but her,” Branch said with clear certainty finding the notion strange he would even care about the fact that she was royalty, he honestly didn’t care about that. And he loved her before she had even helped him find happiness so he knew it was not out of gratitude he wanted to be with her. But he didn’t feel now was the time to argue these points. “And I’m sure she would be glad to meet you…Which brings me to a problem, King…”

“Call me father, Branch. No formalities are needed with family,” he interrupted.

“Father…” Branch said carefully, the word sounding strange to his ears at first. “I need to go back home.”

The King sat up straight with surprised and obvious displeasure. “You just got here! Don’t you want to know your real home is like? What your family is like?” he asked a bit hurt.

“Poppy _is_ my real home. And even though I am curious…” Branch insisted carefully. “I didn’t leave her exactly with a comforting goodbye after I was taken captive…”

“Captive?” King Oak suddenly growled. He turned his withering glare on Thistle. “What is the meaning of this, Thistle?”

Thistle rolled his eyes and made a sound of derision. “He didn’t want to come at first, so I _persuaded_ him too like you ordered me to if I found them and they were not handed over.”

“By putting a knife to Poppy’s throat?” Branch snapped surging up to his feet and facing the purple troll that didn’t look the slightest bit regretful, in fact, Thistle glared back.

“Thistle…”

Branch paused and Thistle stared surprised by the harsh and disappointed voice directed at him.

“I am most disappointed in you, son.”

Thistle’s expression turned to a shocked glare.

“You didn’t need to coerce your brother to visit me in such a way, you could have invited him and his Queen instead. Insist on the urgency or diplomatic need of our meeting… I suspected you were not friendly as usual?” he grumbled.

Thistle made a low growl in his throat and turned his eyes away. “I did what I was ordered to do. Maybe next time you should provide clearer instructions for every kind of situation I might stumble upon if you want a different outcome.”

“You’re not a child anymore, Thistle,” he grumbled disappointed. “Soon you will be King. You need to rely on your own sense of judgment not just the words others give you. I expect you to apologize to Queen Poppy for your behavior.”

Thistle scowled but said nothing as he looked away. He looked like he was boiling under his own skin which seemed to even get darker in shade with his furious expression.

“Branch…” King Oak sighed as he looked at him again and tore his attention from Thistle and caught Branch’s gaze again. “Forgive your brother, he’s always been a bit rash and bad-tempered…”

Thistle made an ugly grunt and Branch made a face like he had just tasted something foul.

“But he is not so bad once you get past his rough exterior, he was doing what he was told, I admit,” he sighed with a shake of his head. “But, please, stay a while. Give me time to know you and you to meet your true people. Let them meet you, stay at least till your birthday next month and if you still want to leave you can go with my blessing. But at least let me have my son back for a little while,” he pleaded.

Branch frowned, his ears drooping. He forgot his birthday was close, that was less than two weeks away before his twenty-fifth birthday, if he was counting the days right in his head.  It was a long while and to ask Poppy to stay away from home too…? He felt torn, he wanted to give his father what he wanted but Poppy was also his entire world. He couldn’t leave her worrying for a second more than necessary or in danger for that matter.

“I would…maybe I can come back and visit after I make sure Poppy is alright…” he started reluctantly.

“I will send for her,” King Oak grinned with a large smile. “That’s all you’re worried about, right? We can send a party right now with a royal invitation for her to stay here in the palace with us. Round-ears like parties, your mother loved them. She would always find the chance to sing in them to everyone,” he sighed wistfully and with adoration and Branch smiled when he saw the content look on his father’s face even sorrow still lingered with it as he reminisced. “I’m sure your Queen will agree if we tell her about the celebrations we’ll have with your arrival and your birthday coming. What do you say, Branch?”

Branch chuckled amused knowing Poppy would indeed like that, and she would love the Mother Troll Tree too. The idea put his mind at ease and he nodded, he did want to get to know his family better and he knew Poppy would want that for him.  “Alright, I think she and our friends started following us after we left. I want to go with the group to get her.”

“It’ll be faster if it’s a small group that goes and picks her up and your friends and you stay here. You look wounded from the first trip. It will be safer if they don’t have to worry about protecting you too. They will be able to find her and split up if need be without trouble.”

Branch wanted to argue but the tone King Oak used made it sound like an order and like his words deserved to be heeded. In a sense, Branch had to admit he had a point, the warriors would try to protect and look after him and that might slow them down.

He frowned unhappily at this thought but with the promise he would see Poppy soon, safe and sound, he couldn’t complain.

“Alright…” he finally relented, knowing Poppy would agree. She would stubbornly insist she was fine if she was there and say she would soon be by his side so he should learn to relax. He could almost picture her scolding him.

“Excellent!” King Oak boomed, standing up. “We’ll send out a scouting party immediately. But for now, it’s late,” King Oak rumbled as he patted Branch’s shoulder as he stood up too. “You must be tired. We’ll talk more over breakfast tomorrow. For now, let’s have Dr. Sage look at your wounds, get you a bath and dinner and your own room.”

Branch had to admit his entire body was sore and tired and all of that sounded like a good idea. He smiled a bit at the idea and nodded.

“That sounds good,” he acknowledged. “Do I have to stay in my room…?”

“Good, good,” the king repeated. “And of course not! This is your home, do as you normally would. But a lot of Trolls will want to meet you, so I will ask you to attend some celebrations, announcements…that sort of thing. But if you leave the tree I will insist a guard needs to accompany you. And also don’t go out exploring the forest, not without telling me and taking at least three guards… And try to join mealtimes with your family, my mother— your grandmother — will want to meet you… Be careful, she’s an old shrew,” he chuckled. “Otherwise explore the castle and village to your heart’s content. Meet the people! With a guard that is, as I said.”

Branch chuckled as his father droned on. That was a lot of rules after being told he could do what he liked, but Branch supposed it was only out of concern. It actually made him smile a little.

“Father…I need to speak with you,” Thistle suddenly said from where he stood with crossed arms and a hard gaze.

King Oak seemed to stiffen for a moment as he guided Branch away with a firm hand on his back.

“Alright, Thistle. Let me send your brother on his way first.”

Thistle gave him a mute nod and said nothing more.

Branch was led out of the chamber and two guards were called over and given orders. One guard ran off to assemble a scouting party and the other led Branch upstairs to the royal doctor. Branch left feeling suspicious, wondering what Thistle needed to talk about with the King. In that moment Branch realized he still didn’t completely trust them, though he was feeling more secure and was relieved his father didn’t seem to be like Thistle.

The doors closed to the meeting room and the grey king looked down again as he sighed and walked back over to his eldest son.

“What is it, Thistle?” he asked almost strained as he marched up to him.

Thistle gave him an impassive stare. “Are you going to tell him?” he demanded.

“Tell him…what?” King Oak asked warily, eyeing his son.

“About the Umbragon,” Thistle replied bluntly.

“No, and you will not either,” King Oak growled. “No one will as is the law to not speak of it.”

“He _will_ find out about it father, you can’t hide something that big forever. He will ask questions and this year is the year the beast will wake up again…”

“I will and I have, Thistle!” he spat angrily, interrupting his son. “The books and records are locked up and everyone knows better than to speak of it. You _will_ hold your tongue and I will tell Branch a different story. He does not need to know the truth of those horrible events that destroyed our family that day. If he is still here when the day or retribution comes again you will take him somewhere else till it’s over and done with.”

“Are you _that_ afraid of him finding out the truth?” Thistle sneered and taunted as the king paced past him and towards his chair. “Afraid he won’t love you and blame you for everything when he finds out he was chosen and you were going to willingly sacrifice him to the-”

“ **SILENCE!** ” King Oak suddenly roared, his voice echoing like thunder in the chamber and his hand suddenly struck across Thistle face.

The purple troll tumbled and gasped as he hit the ground with a thud, staring up surprised and on his left cheek a bright flaring mark. The grey king was raging, huffing heavily as he glared down at his eldest child who stared back up with indignation and wide eyes.

“I told you to **_never_** speak of that again! Why must you seek to hurt everyone around you, Thistle? What kind of king would I be if I let you lead the kingdom one day with such bitterness? I did what I had to do to protect you, to protect our people, to protect the Mother Troll Tree and all trolls as is our duty as the royal family!” he howled, his voice losing volume as the last words left him panting.

Thistle swallowed, staring, frozen.

“My son… I have paid for that day in more ways than one,” his voice softened to a painful whisper. “We do not all have the strength to bear it or the responsibility we have been left with, your mother did everything to free Branch of that fate and burden. A burden that will one day will be yours… Do not make your brother suffer with the truth as I have, protect him from it,” he implored, his voice cracking as it lost its strength.

Thistle’s face suddenly warped with anger. “Suffer, you? You were not the only one that suffered! You made everyone else suffer around you!” he spat standing up again. “You made _me_ suffer! I was a _child!_ A child and instead of staying home and trying to explain to me why she left us, you left me alone too, to go on some crusade for _fifteen_ years!” he screamed.

King Oak flinched, his eyes wide as he stared dumbfounded.

“You were never around when I needed you! You left me _alone_ with no one to help me understand why and I vowed to change that by getting stronger so I could reach you. But when you finally came home…you didn’t care, you didn’t even look at me. Your only son and all you wanted to do was sulk and gloom over what you had lost fifteen years ago. So I left and you never stopped me, not once in these past ten years have you asked me to stay! Not even when I almost got killed fighting a war on _your_ orders!” he accused pointing to the giant scar over his shoulder under his armor. “So what about what I have suffered because of you? Because of mother and Branch? All by myself? Because of all of our family’s selfishness!? Who protected me when _I_ was abandoned with nothing and everything I loved was taken from me!?” he demanded with a burning and hateful stare.

The king stared with no words coming to him, shocked and confused.

Thistle didn’t wait for a response. He whirled around and left, slamming the door behind him in his furious wake.

King Oak was left alone, his skin seeming even greyer as he slumped into his seat and his face pressed into his hand as he leaned against the table for support. A heavy sob echoed out in the room as the painful sound made it past his chest and from his heart.

 


	15. Can't Stop the Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter honestly shouldn't be as long as it is but the song takes up so much bloody space! I suggest you have the famous song ready to play when you hit that part of the chapter.
> 
> Anyways, this chapter does not progress the plot much but it is an important chapter for Branch's personal development and his relationship with the Glade Trolls for the overall story and it's conclusion. Call it a chapter where he learns to step into his destiny and role without reservation or fear which will be pivotal for him in the future in the story and if he ever wants to be Poppy's King. As usual, enjoy~ Expect family drama in the next chapter that will move the story along and an update from Poppy's journey! (Poppy did have her own chapter but I'm trying to summarize the nonessential or I might go beyond my original chapter limit... Oh well.)
> 
> Till next chapter!

* * *

 

Branch wasn’t sure what to do in his room at this point as he stared around. It was a bit too luxurious for his liking. Not that he didn’t appreciate the craft that had gone into making the furniture like the bands of patterns and the figures that seemed to almost sculpt out a story into the painted wooden headboard of the bed and other such objects in the room… Tree branches seemed to be a common theme. But it was all overwhelming. The rich colors of the sheets, blankets, even the curtains embroidered with golden leaves on vines that draped around the canopy of the bed! The cushions of the chairs, the size of bathroom with a huge tub that seemed it could fit five trolls in it, the king sized bed, and the outrageously spacious closet. A chest by the wall next to the large desk, a giant bookshelf with tomes and scrolls and all the writing materials he could ever want, an armor stand… It was just too big of a room and everything in it was too much. It was spacious yet it was somehow suffocating.

With a dreary sigh he thought of his bunker and then the pod he had shared with Poppy only briefly as he went to the desk and pulled out the seat. He sunk into it and grumbled at how comfortable it was.

After visiting the old Dr. Sage and having his wounds treated the guard had led him to the royal quarters of the tree castle and brought him dinner. He was in the same hallway as the rest of his family as the guard had pointed out and even showed him where his father’s room was, which honestly Branch could have figured out on his own. King Oak’s giant elaborate doors to his chambers stuck out like a sore thumb in the hallways compared to the other doors.

Branch had just finished taking a bath and found all the soaps and shampoos to be too perfumed but it was good to be clean again after being out in the wilderness and sweating under armor. They had stopped once to bathe in a river during the trip but it wasn’t the same. Branch had taken a quick bath at the time away from all the other male trolls at the time but it hadn’t been very satisfying, only relieving to remove most of the dirt off his body.

Now he was clean, wearing a pair of pajama slacks, his arms had less bandages and he was staring at the desk and empty bowl of soup and the remaining sandwich as he went over the day in his head. Right now he thought about grabbing one of the empty journals and getting his thoughts onto paper to help him relax.

A quiet knock came from his door and his ears perked up and swiveled as he stood up alert. Who was visiting him at this hour?

He unlocked the door and turned the knob, opened it and much to his surprise he found a familiar red troll standing in front of his doorway. But she looked fresh and different…with a green blouse, long white pants, some plant based jewelry and barrette with a metal rose in her hair.

“Rose?” he asked a bit surprised.

“Evening, Branch. Are you free?” she asked with a grin but didn’t pause for more than a moment. “May I come in?”

“Um…sure,” he said and reluctantly opening the door wider to let her in. He wondered what she wanted looking dressed for a party or some event. He was just not used to seeing her out of her armor.

She strolled in and looked around the room before she nodded to herself looking satisfied. She then turned to look at Branch as he closed the door.

“How do you like it so far? The Mother Troll Tree that is, and the palace. How did it go with your father?” she asked in a voice that showed she was trying to hold her eagerness at bay.

Branch looked at her thoughtfully as he walked back over to the desk but didn’t sit down.

“The tree is amazing, I didn’t imagine it would be so big inside or outside,” he admitted. As he continued, he smiled. “So far, I think I like it here, the room is a bit much though. My father was…he sent a search party to find Poppy just like you said and he isn’t forcing me to stay…he was…nice.”

Branch trailed off, thinking on that and how it had felt to hug him. He admitted he had not been expecting how wonderful it felt to have a father, to have that figure show such obvious love and concern. It was daunting in a sense but one that made him…happy. He was happy to know he actually had family left. That alone made Branch smile and be glad he had come, that acceptance and sense of family alone had been worth all the trouble. Almost. What would make it perfect was the opportunity to share it with Poppy which he was more than eager to do when she arrived. He knew she would be thrilled for him and she’d probably try to find a way for them to visit often or have his family visit. The idea made him chuckle softly under his breath as he imagined how excitable Poppy would get, she really was infectious in personality as she was feisty.

He looked at Rose and found her grinning from ear to ear.

“I’m so glad, Branch! See? I told you there was nothing to worry about. He just wanted to meet you. I bet he was happy.”

Branch smiled sheepishly and nodded. “He seemed very happy,” he admitted. “But I can see why he’s been grey for so long. It was hard to tell him about mother and grandma.”

Rose gave him a sympathetic look and nodded in agreement. “Are you very tired?” she suddenly asked, switching the subject just like that.

Branch stared a bit surprised and thought about it for a second before shaking his head. “I’m tired but I wouldn’t say _very_ tired. Why?”

Rose was smiling again but this time with excitement. “I promised you a tour but right now there’s a big party going on at the mixer. Everyone has heard the news by now and most of the village is throwing an unofficial pre-celebration dance party, you could say,” she explained sounding less reserved than usual, obviously being back home had a positive effect on her. “Come join us. Carter, Moss, and Holly will be there too, they are waiting for us just down the hallway in fact. We all got the night off. What do you say?”

Parties could be unofficial? Boy would that throw the trolls back at home in for a loop.

Branch actually frowned at the prospect of going to a party with so many strangers. Sure, his colors were back and he was no longer suppressing the natural urge to sing or dance, but without Poppy around the feelings might as well be dead again as when he was grey. As he saw Rose’s face get discouraged he could almost hear Poppy scolding him and telling him to have some fun and meet the other trolls, after all the kingdom was throwing the party because of him! It would be rude to refuse even if he wasn’t really in the mood for a party.

He forced a smile and held in a sigh. “Alright, Rose,” he relented.

Rose let out an excited shout and grabbed his arm carefully and coaxed him towards the closet.

“You’ll like it, I promise! We can throw great parties just like any round-ears and I won’t let anyone swarm you. No one knows what you look like anyways just yet so it should be fine. But, consider me your official bodyguard…that is unless you want someone else. I mean, I’m offering but usually you would be the one to pick someone you trust the most with the job,” she paused with a slight frown as she let go of his arm and looked at him seriously but there was a glint of worry in her emerald eyes.

He chuckled and shook his head. “No, that’s alright. I think out of everyone, I trust you the most and definitely with my safety. So thank you for doing it,” he added with gratitude even though he quietly didn’t see why he needed it. Was some troll going to attack him while walking around? That was literally unheard of from where he was from and he doubted the warriors allowed dangerous beast to get near the village. He supposed it was just as Rose had mentioned before, protocol.

Rose’s cheeks flushed a darker red and her eyes seemed to brim with her obvious happiness. She made a small shy smile and looked away and into the closet.

“Let’s get you a long-sleeved shirt to wear. We don’t need you showing off your bandages just in case. Let’s see now…” she muttered as she walked into the closet. “Something not too flashy…” she was murmuring to herself as she went through the hanging clothes that had been stockpiled for him today on short notice.

She finally pulled a long dark blue top off a hanger. It had some green leaves stitched as lining on the ends of the sleeves with a few smaller golden decorative leaves made of metal that were not outright eye-catching at first glance.

“This one seems to suit you. Try it on if you like it,” she insisted bringing it over to him.

He took it in his hands and felt the material, he even liked the color and it was simple enough. He nodded in appreciation, glad that she seemed to know his taste. She then pulled up some black slacks next and he took them without complaint.

He went into the bathroom and quickly changed and was out in a minute while still straightening his shirt. He wasn’t used to long clothes covering his legs and arms except in winter, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

“It suits you, just like the armor,” she grinned and nodded in approval. “Oh! That reminds me…how long are you staying, Branch? I’m guessing a while if they are bringing Queen Poppy, right? They should be back with her in about a week and a half if not less.”

He smiled at Rose even though he didn’t like how long it would take for Poppy to arrive. He was privately pleased Rose had called Poppy by her name and not a condescending term as he answered. “About two weeks, until my birthday that is. That is how long father asked me to stay at least so that he can get to know me and I get to meet everyone.”

Rose smirked with delight, she looked thrilled in fact. “Since you’ll be staying a while, would you like to keep training? I can keep teaching you or you can even ask one of the master trainers here in the tree, either way as your bodyguard I’ll also be your sparring partner.”

Branch considered the offer for a moment. He didn’t know what he would be doing while he was here and he wanted to keep busy. But he did want to keep learning to fight and defend, he found the skills vital and necessary for survival and if there was anything he was crazy about other than Poppy it was survival skills.

He smirked after only a moment of contemplation. “You sure it won’t be too much trouble being my bodyguard and training me?”

She grinned and shook her head. “Not at all, in fact it would be a pleasure! So I take that as a yes?” she asked and he nodded. “Great! We can train at least three times a day, once in the morning before breakfast, after lunch, and before the sleeping hour if you feel like it. We can make it just twice a day if you like, if three seems too much,” she ended with a calmer voice as she let him choose.

“Let’s try for three,” he decided. “If it’s too much I’ll let you know,” he promised. At least this would keep him distracted and not worrying about Poppy constantly or he might not be able to sleep or eat.

“Perfect! Now let’s go!” she said rushing to the doorway.

Branch chuckled, surprised by her energy and followed her out.

They met the others just down the hallways and out by the elevator. He was surprised by how eager they all were as they greeted him happily and friendly. Branch found it odd as they all swore to look out for him tonight before he could get past a hello. He didn’t see why they needed to offer their protection, they weren’t out in the wilderness anymore but he decided not to complain for once. It was nice just having friends and he hoped they would treat him as one too and not like a prince. He far preferred the former of the two options and was glad they were making an effort to keep a relaxed atmosphere at least, they all seemed more positive now that they were home again. He just hoped they would learn to see and treat him like any other troll with time. To help them he insisted again that they only call him by his name and with no title.

“Please, just call me Branch. We’re friends, right? I think of you guys like that…you’re the first friends I’ve made on my own in twenty years,” he said, thinking Poppy was the only exception to that statement. “And friends are like family from where I’m from. So please treat me like one. I want to be your equal not your superior,” he explained a bit embarrassed but his voice was mostly determined in tone. He wanted them to treat him like the Snack Pack treated Poppy, without royal titles or special and unnecessary respect.

They all seemed shocked and touched except Rose who was smiling at him softly and with admiration, she wasn’t surprised. They all seemed to relax further and Carter gave Branch one of his heavy back slaps that made Branch groan a little and punch him back playfully on the arm which only ended up hurting Branch’s hand and making the big troll laugh. In the end, Branch ended up laughing with them as they entered the main lobby and entrance of the tree palace and headed out down large stairs carved into the roots of the giant troll tree and into the village below.

It felt good to be positive and with his good mood Branch was able to enjoy the night scenery as they walked. The lotus blossoms glowing and shifting colors on the silvery black lake water.

“There’s the mixer over there, Branch,” Rose pointed out as they descended down the steps.

He looked over the ridge and saw a giant mushroom platform, the flashing lights catching his attention. It was built like a large concert stage with wood beams with light-beam blossoms shinning color down on the large stage. He could already hear the noise, trolls singing and dancing around other smaller mushroom platforms just at the edge of the lake. There was a giant crowd, far bigger than any back at home. There was even a large juice and snack bar right by the dance floor, at least that’s what he figured it was. He realized there was a large and long wood and plant fiber wall around the mixer and trolls were outside those walls.

He swallowed unnerved.

“Don’t look so nervous!” Holly chuckled. “I know there’s a lot of us but no one is going to hit you or something.”

“Talk for yourself,” Carter laughed.

Branch rolled his eyes and smirked, relaxing. From here the music was already starting to be deafening.

As they reached the pathway towards the mixer he realized there were guards outside the entrance of the mixer. The trolls that were outside dancing were all troll types he was familiar with, without sharp ears.

A sinking feeling came to his gut.

“Why are all these trolls out here? I saw more than enough space inside from the stairs,” Branch asked confused, speaking loudly over the noise of music.

Rose frowned and looked at the trolls then back at him.

“They just aren’t allowed in,” she said simply.

Branch’s eyes narrowed and his glare was suspicious. “Why?” he demanded.

Carter was the one to answer. “Because they aren’t sharp-ears,” he said with a sharp tone and it obviously bothered him too.

Branch stopped walking and he glared with disbelief. This couldn’t be serious!

The group stopped around him and looked uncomfortable.

“You have to be kidding me,” he growled.

Rose sighed, “I’m not,” she said an apologetic yet matter-of-fact tone.

“So, what then? Me and Carter aren’t allowed in too? I mean where only _half-breeds_ ,” he said the word with disgust. He couldn’t believe this treatment, this mentality! It was outrageous. “We’re not pure sharp-ears, you want us to leave half of our body outside?” he said with contempt and sarcasm.

“No…” Rose said sounding uncomfortable and worried. “You’re the prince, of course you’re allowed in and Carter is a royal guard… It’s…it’s complicated. Please don’t get upset, Branch,” she pleaded.

His face was warped with anger. This had to be some kind of joke trying his patience, this was simply an injustice and there was no other word for it. He glared at the guards that checked the guests that walked in and an idea came to mind.

He hated to do this after what he had said earlier but…

“You said I’m the prince…right?” he asked Rose vaguely.

Rose gave him a confused look as did the rest of the group.

“Yes…?” she replied puzzled, wondering where this was going.

He nodded thoughtfully as he grimaced. “That means if I make a command, it has to be obeyed?” he said forcing the words past his mouth.

Rose stared surprised. “Of course,” she said in an instant. “So long as it doesn’t conflict over the king’s word, that is. Otherwise you and Thistle should, in theory, have the second highest power of command in the kingdom,” she explained.

Moss, Carter and Holly exchanged concerned looks.

“Did my father order that other types of trolls couldn’t dance together with sharp-ears?” he asked next.

“N-no,” Rose stammered. “It’s just been like that for a long time. It’s the Elders that really enforce the separation not the King.”

“But my word is above theirs, right?”

“…Yes,” she repeated hesitantly.

Carter was grinning at this point, his eyes shining as he stared at Branch with restrained excitement.

Branch nodded sternly, steely and suddenly determined. If he had the power to make a difference then by all that is troll’s hair he would do it. Forget fearing power and responsibility, he knew Poppy would do it and so would he. He would have her courage to make change for the greater good, no troll left behind!

“Order the guards to step aside and let the other trolls in, by my command,” he ordered with authority.

Rose balked while Moss and Holly gasped, shocked. Carter let out an emotional hyped laugh.

“Now _that_ is a Prince!” Carter burst proudly in his loud voice.

Rose shot the big troll a glare and looked back imploringly at Branch.

“Please, Branch! Rethink this, don’t be rash! You just got here, you might upset the Elders and a lot of trolls!” she hissed with distress.

“No one is ever going to learn to get along together and see there is no real difference between us trolls if you guys keep clinging to old outdated ways of thinking,” he retorted a bit agitated. “There is no reason, none, that you should be treating your fellow troll like this. Didn’t you guys say we all came from the same seeds of the Mother Troll Tree? The same ancestors, the first trolls?” he postulated.

“Well…yes,” she started looking ready to try and argue.

Branch interrupted. “Then enough is enough! If we all came from the same place then we are _all_ the same where it counts, we are all Trolls. We shouldn’t treat each other differently. We are a strong and happy people when we work _together_.”

Carter started clapping and the others looked at him except Branch who was still glaring expectantly ahead.

“Well said, Prince Branch!” he rumbled. “Well said!”

Moss was nodding thoughtfully and Holly was smiling as she grinned and nodded a moment later too.

Rose looked flabbergasted and she finally let out a loud and resounding groan, slumping forward in defeat as she shook her head and a wry smile took her lips.

“You really are something else, Branch,” she chuckled dryly and straightened herself up. “Alright! Alright, I get it! Let me just go get everyone riled up for you, but you’re paying for this,” she pointed out with a retorting smile.

Branch arched an eyebrow and stared surprised at her, waiting for her to explain.

“If I’m stoking a fire for you then it’s your job to simmer it down,” she said starting to smirk with mischief. “It’s your job as the _prince_ , to keep your people happy, your highness,” her voice was playfully mocking.

The others were stared startled that she was talking so casually and disrespectfully to the prince but Branch didn’t mind, in fact he looked worried. He knew this could only end badly for him.

“You’re going to sing for everyone, right _now_ , on the _big_ stage,” she declared. “And I’m going to kick your butt in our next training session in revenge tomorrow.”

It was Branch’s turn to balk, his eyes going wide with mortification. He didn’t care about the threat to beat him to a pulp, but singing? Rose certainly knew how to kick where it hurt, merciless. He couldn’t believe it! By the hair was that a steep price, why couldn’t Poppy be here? Now he had to sing in front of hundreds of strangers…? Ugh… But if it helped change these trolls for the better…

Branch let out a defeated groan a moment later as the group silently stared, waiting.

“Okay, fine!” he grumbled. “ _One_ song,” he said lifting one finger in emphasis while giving Rose a pointed look and frown, he was dead serious.

She was grinning one of those wide toothy troll grins and the others even looked excited now.

“Deal.”

She dashed off towards the guards and Branch let out another groan, wondering what he had gotten himself into. He scowled with surprise as the Carter, Moss, and Holly started patting him and saying how excited they were to hear him sing again. Apparently they didn’t have a lot of great singers among their people, evidently having a terrible voice was a common thing among them not that it stopped them from singing. They had been pleasantly shocked when they heard him sing that one time on their trip but he hadn’t sung once since then not even when they started to hum and sing around the campfire one of the nights on their trip when Thistle had been on guard duty.

Branch watched as the bemused guards spoke and quietly argued with Rose. When she pointed back to Branch they seemed to freeze up before they moved aside. They began ushering the other trolls in which were confused at first before they started rushing in with excited voices.

“Come on, let’s go and make sure nothing gets out of hand,” Rose said the moment she was back with the group.

She led the way and inside the music had stopped and confused sharp-ear trolls were muttering and stepping back awkwardly as their new guests greeted them enthusiastically.

“Wow! Wow! What's this beat going down? Who let these party crashers in?” called a loud voice from the large stage on a microphone as the mixer was quickly getting filled.

Without a word Rose grabbed Branch’s hand and she pulled him along on a clear designated pathway with clear signs that said “Pathway for non-dancing trolls”. Huh…they were certainly a well-planned group of trolls, it was exactly the kind of sign Branch would have put up himself if he had organized a party. Poppy would have probably told him he was sucking the fun out of everything, to which she had a point.

“DJ Mike!” Rose called as she rushed Branch forward.

“Yo! Rose, girl what’s up? About time you got here!” called a purple troll that jumped off a purple disco caterpillar as the band watched on. His indigo hair was of pillaring length, waving in the air with highlights of bright red and cyan. He was grinning as he extended out his arms.

Rose let go of Branch just at the foot of the stairs to the mushroom stage and rushed up herself as she embraced the other troll. She was grinning as he squeezed her and then they stepped apart to exchange some strange fist bump greeting with ten steps Branch couldn’t quite get as he made it up the stairs more slowly.

“Girl! It’s been so long, what’s jamming? I hear—well never mind that! What’s these other trolls doing in here, girl? Tryin’ to get me in trouble?” Mike asked confused with a dramatic sigh once they finished their strange greeting.

Rose giggled and shook her head. “It’s the prince’s orders so you’ll have to take it up with him,” she grinned as she took a sidestep and gestured to Branch.

Mike’s eyes went wide and he suddenly bowed, the band noticed and started to shove their instruments aside to do the same.

“Prince Branch!” he said, regulating his strange voice so it sounded formal.

“Wow, wow, calm down there’s no need to bow,” Branch assured uncomfortably picking up his hands and watching the other trolls on stage freeze in place as they tried to bow too. He glanced over the stage and noticed trolls were starting to look up at the commotion.

“Cool it, Mike,” Rose teased giving the troll a light shove and making him stand up. “Don’t make this awkward, Prince Branch doesn’t like all the formal respect treatment. Just give him the mike, he’s going to be singing for us,” she grinned excitedly.

Mike stared surprised and then a huge grin crossed his face. “Really?” his voice regaining its strange brass beat. “It would be an honor, my Prince! Dang, when’s the last time a royal sang at one of our shindigs?” he laughed robustly and he tossed the mike in his hand which Branch caught with a quick reflex. “Start up the beat and we’ll catch up quick, Prince Branch.”

“Just Branch, please,” he smiled back trying to temper his sudden nervousness as he felt curious stares on him.

“Don’t forget to say hi,” Rose hissed to him quietly as she walked past him. “Let them know you let the others join the party.”

Branch stopped her with one hand on her shoulder making her look back surprised.

“Would you mind?” he asked passing her the mike, the discomfort obvious on his frowning face.

She smiled at him and took the mike without hesitation. “It would be my pleasure,” she teased as she walked past him and to the front of the stage.

Branch hung back and watched, taking a deep breath through his nose to get ready. He looked out seeing the trolls divided by two crowds and he hoped that would change by the end of the event.

“Welcome everyone!” she called with easy charisma from the top of the stage with a light shining down on her. “I’m sure you’ve all heard the news, it’s why we’re celebrating, am I right?”

Excited yelling and waving came from below.

“That’s right! And as a special celebration, Prince Branch has invited everyone to enjoy the party together tonight! We’re all trolls, round-ears, sharp-ears, glitters, it doesn’t matter what you are. We’re all one people, right?”

Confused murmuring came from half the trolls while the other half began cheering and bouncing, mostly those that weren’t sharp-ears.

“And that’s why Prince Branch will be singing for us tonight!” Rose suddenly shouted with high enthusiasm that her voice rang clear across the mixer. “Give it up for our prince!”

She tossed the mike and Branch stared a bit surprised before he caught it. The crowd was suddenly roaring and cheering, waving and jumping and looking up as he walked forward. He saw some lady trolls in the front of the crowd shriek and fall into their friend’s arms, the sound was unbearable in his ears but he ignored it and kept a calm expression.

He nodded to the crowd as he took his place next to Rose and gave her a quick glance as he smiled ever so slightly. She grinned back, encouraging and excited.

Turning his gaze forward he knew what song to sing as he took a deep breath and lifted the mike to his face. He thought of Poppy, remembering their first party song together and the beat started to hum in his body as he smirked with confidence.

His voice came out ringing and even if he wanted to claim he didn’t want to, he started to dance as he snapped his fingers for the first verse and the crowd fell silent as they stared. Some stared with shock, others with delight and some with both as they heard his voice.

_I got this feeling inside my bones_

_It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on_

_And if you want it, inside your soul_

_Just open up your heart let music take control_

The band was grinning and as the music started they knew just what the beat was, DJ Mike was already spinning the disk of the dancing disco caterpillar. The volume boomed and rang clear with Branch’s voice carrying over the crowd.

 _I got that sunshine in my pocket_  
_Got that good soul in my feet_  
_I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, ooh!_  
_I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally_  
_Room on lock the way we rock it, so don't stop!_

Rose started to dance with him, the band behind them busting a move and the crowd started cheering again. Trolls began to spin and beat their feet to the rhythm and Branch smiled even wider and lent more soul into the song.

 _And under the lights when everything goes_  
_Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close_  
_When we move, well, you already know_  
_So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine_

Branch gasped as Rose took his hand and with a flick of her wrist spun him and he laughed, as he turned he caught her hand and returned the favor before twisting into another move for her and the crowd to mimic. The band started to sing with him and the trolls below started to dance with each other, all awkwardness gone.

 _Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance_  
_Feeling good, good, creeping up on you_  
_So just dance, dance, dance, come on!_  
_All those things I shouldn't do_  
_But you dance, dance, dance_  
_And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing!_

 _I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So just dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So just dance, dance, dance, come on!_

Branch’s voice picked up as he took the lead once again in the chorus, more cheering came from the other trolls as his voice took precedence once more.

 _Ooh, it's something magical_  
_It's in the air, it's in my blood, it's rushing on_  
_Don't need no reason, don't need control_  
_I fly so high, no ceiling, when I'm in my zone_

The band and crowd began to sing again, stunts of magical hair started to flare into existence and glitter trolls brought the night to life with fractal shining as they lassoed the beams above the stage with their glittering hair.

 _'Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket_  
_Got that good soul in my feet_  
_I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops, ooh!_  
_I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally_  
_Room on lock the way we rock it, so don't stop_

 _And under the lights when everything goes_  
_Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close_  
_When we move, well, you already know_  
_So just imagine, just imagine, just imagine_  
_Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance_  
_Feeling good, good, creeping up on you_  
_So just dance, dance, dance, come on!_  
_All those things I shouldn't do_  
_But you dance, dance, dance_  
_And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing_

 _I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So just dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So just dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So just dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_So keep dancing, come on!_

Somehow Branch had somersaulted off the stage, Rose right behind him and into the crowd that had split to leave a wide circle for them as they hollered and danced. Moss, Holly, and Carter danced in to the circle with the groove of the music, weaving in with side sweeps and dancing with Rose and Branch.

 _I can't stop the, I can't stop the_  
_I can't stop the, I can't stop the_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_

 _Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_Feeling good, good, creeping up on you_  
_So just dance, dance, dance, come on_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_All those things I shouldn't do_  
_But you dance, dance, dance_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing_

Branch leapt into the air, spinning into a barrel roll and landing on Carter’s outstretched arm. The large troll laughed and held him up as Branch let out a singing shout to the crowd.

_Everybody sing!_

  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_Got this feeling in my body_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_Got this feeling in my body_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_Wanna see you move your body_  
_I can't stop the feeling!_  
_Got this feeling in my body_  
_Break it down_  
_Got this feeling in my body_  
_Can't stop the feeling_  
_Got this feeling in my body, come on*_

 _“Oooh!”_ Branch hummed the last note into the microphone and the song fell on its final sound.  Carter lowered his arm and Branch slid off with grace into the circle with his friends, tossing the mike back to the stage which one of the singers caught.

The crowd went roaring. Yelling and cheering, “Prince Branch!”.

Branch grinned exhilarated as he saw the happy faces all around him cheering and not minding for once what they called him. All the trolls were together, singing and dancing without reservation just as they now cheered and that was all he had been hoping for. He wondered if this was how Poppy felt after each successful song that brought the trolls of the village together and now the Bergens. It was a moment of pride and exhilaration!

“They love you!” Rose shouted to him over the calls for an encore. Branch smirked even as the red troll came up and slapped his back a little harder than what he would typically call friendly. But he didn’t mind at all, he was beaming.

“That was amazing, Branch!” Moss cried out as he fist pumped the air.

Branch turned to stare at him with pleasant surprise. Moss just called him by just his name! It was such a relieving sign and it only made Branch smiled more. So far, the party had not been a bad idea at all or even singing for that matter. But his eyes were searching for a familiar shining face that would usually be bursting with joy with his singing and ready to hug him…it took a moment for his mind to recall and register that Poppy wasn’t there.

His spirit was dampened just a little and his smile grew smaller as the crowd started to push closer, complimenting and praising and applauding him. Even welcoming him home. It was all a little overwhelming.

The music started up again, a new song and the other trolls were distracted and began getting back to the party.

“Come on, let’s get something to drink,” Rose insisted smiling as she kept staring at Branch, pulling him out of the crowd.

Carter was right behind them and he gave Branch a pat on the back which was surprisingly lighter than Rose’s excited one for once.

“You really got an amazing voice, Branch,” Carter said with a grin. “Glad you sung for everyone. That was great! Did you see how all the trolls started dancing together?” he asked amazed, the others agreeing with nods.

Branch chuckled and shrugged. “You should hear Poppy sing, she can really bring others together,” he commented wistfully, missing her.

“So can you, Branch,” Rose said softly and smiling proudly as she touched his arm.

Branch smiled back, feeling proud yet flushed with the words as the others vigorously agreed with her. “But all of you have great voices, too,” Branch added honestly and turned his gaze over them before stopping at Rose. “Especially you Rose, though you might want to control your pitch when you get excited,” he teased.

She punched him lightly, smirking.  Her face looked redder than usual and her eyes were shining as she looked at him.

Branch only smiled as his teasing worked. “Thank you.”

She paused and he smiled with gratitude.

“For what you did and said on stage,” he clarified.

Her green eyes widened before they softened and she nodded once and they kept walking.

Branch let out a calming breath to slow down the rushing in his body, glad the other trolls stopped swarming as they walked through them. The group gradually walked out of the crowd and to the edges of the dance floor.

“Rose! Lieutenant Rose!”

Branch stiffened, frowning as he heard the worried voice shouting over the crowd. He felt the others stiffen around him.

Markus shoved past some trolls, panting and eyes wide as Rose stepped forward. He was still wearing his uniform.

“Markus? What’s going on?”

“It’s the Crown Prince!” Markus gasped with dread. “He’s at it again,” he said pointing to the bar on the other side of the mixer.

“Oh no…” Rose muttered with a horrified expression.

“What’s going on?” Branch asked confused. “I thought you said Thistle hated music, what’s he doing here?”

Rose grimaced and looked at him. “There’s only one reason Thistle comes to a party,” she said grimly. “To get drunk and punch other trolls.”

“What?” Branch asked with disbelief. What did she mean by ‘get drunk’? And who came to a party to hit others?

“There’s no time to explain! I’ve got to go!” she said with a worried expression as she rushed past them and into the crowd with Markus hot on her heels.

Branch exchanged a worried looked with his companions that all looked suddenly stressed and nervous like they were facing something worse than a bonefalcon. Branch grunted with fiery determination.

“Come on!”

He waved his hand and rushed after her, the others quickly following and looking like they wanted to protest.

They made it across the mixer through a designated pathway to the bar in less than a minute. The first thing Branch noticed was the trolls here were all standing back with worried and frightened expressions.

“Prince Thistle, please…”

“IT’S CROWN PRINCE!” Thistle roared and a chair went flying through the air.

“Rose!” Branch yelled. “Watch out!”

Her arms were up as she stepped in front of another troll that screamed horrified and the chair smacked into Rose’s body as she got in the way, shattering, splintering in the air. She barely let out a grunt as she tumbled into a roll into the other troll and pushed them back before she was back on her feet again facing Thistle with a hard and wary expression.

Branch turned a withering glare on a familiar panting purple troll who didn’t have any armor on but a dark purple shirt and long tan slacks.

“What are you all looking at, huh?!” Thistle yelled at the gathered trolls, his words slurred and raged. He swept his eyes over them angrily before he froze as he caught sight of Branch. “Look at that! If it isn’t my BABY BROTHER!” he laughed. “What a people pleaser! Feeling happy, huh? Feeling all proud you got everyone cheering for you now, huh?” he laughed with contempt as he marched up to Branch.

Rose stared on horrified. “Branch, get away from him!”

Branch didn’t move as Thistle came face to face with him. His foul reeking breath washing over Branch’s face but this time, Branch didn’t flinch away even with the smell.

“Well, brother?” Thistle demanded. “Tell me what you’re thinking! Got dad all over you doting, feels nice, huh?” he crowed. “I wouldn’t know! Got him all nice wrapped up around your finger with your sob stories, isn’t that right? Come on! Tell them!” he laughed gesturing to the crowd. “Tell all these stupid trolls how you’re going to change everything overnight. Tell them just how much you _love_ them!” he spat still laughing hard, his words getting harder to understand.

The crowd gasped, muttering and stepping back.

“They can’t even tell you the truth about why mamma took you because daddy wants us to keep it all secret. Isn’t that right?” he hollered looking out to them then turned to Branch making a pitiful baby voice. “Daddy just wants to protect your little feelings, baby brother, isn’t that nice?” he laughed madly, spit falling on Branch’s face and making him wince back with disgust.

What…was Thistle talking about and what in the hair’s name was wrong with him? He was wobbling and moving around like he might hit something at any moment or fall over!

“Thistle, please stop!” Rose begged as she rushed over.

“ **I SAID IT WAS CROWN PRINCE!** ” Thistle roared with sudden rage across his features. He turned around rushing and Branch stared for a split second with dread as Thistle lifted his arm to hit Rose as she came.

Branch didn’t think, he launched his hair with one swing of his head and wrapped it around Thistle’s torso, yanking him back. Thistle screamed in fury, turning back and his hands yanked into Branch’s hair.

Branch released him, hissing in pain as Thistle yanked out clumps of hair with a hard yank. He was still rushing forward, but everything about him was slow and sluggish unlike their first fight and Branch could see it all as it came.

This situation was all nonsense and it was too much belligerence for one night. Branch lifted his own curled fist and the impact that followed smashed into Thistle’s face and left the purple troll falling backwards with a loud grunt.

The crowd gasped, the music had stopped and the Crown Prince laid on the floor unconscious with his left eye bruised.

“Branch!” Rose hissed horrified as she came up to him and then turned to stare at Thistle shocked before looking at Branch again. “Are you alright? I told you not to intervene! He could have really hurt you!”

Branch scoffed angrily and looked down at Rose’s left bleeding arm where a few splinters of wood still suck out of her skin.

“Me? I don’t think punching me is going to hurt as much as what he did the other night,” he retorted. “You should be more worried about yourself! Why did you let him do that?” he snapped concerned pointing at her arm.

She looked down at it and grimaced, shaking her head. “I’ve had worse and it’s like I told you before…we just can’t hit him,” she sighed and looked at Thistle with a sad look. “Let’s just get him out of here before he wakes up.”

Branch grunted in agreement as Carter stepped forward and easily picked up the purple troll. Branch led the way out this time, fuming and contemplating Thistle’s drunken words. That scene had certainly put a dent in the entire dance party as they left and the trolls tried to get back to dancing with much less enthusiasm and more concerned gossiping as word got around.

But Branch kept replaying Thistle’s cryptic drunk words over and over in his head, trying to figure out what he had said. Something dark and ominous pestered Branch in the back of his head, what secret had Thistle been talking about?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Song: Can't Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake for Trolls


	16. Princess Azalea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am posting this a little early, I deleted Poppy's segment to conserve space. Don't worry she'll have her chapter before you know it. I hope you guys like curve balls because I am throwing one your way! I promised drama and here it is. Forget Poppy and Creek for a moment, who said Branch can't have the lady trolls chasing after him? He had a rock-star moment on stage and now he's paying the price, that's all I'm saying. Read to find out!
> 
> To TiPoLover_22, this chapter is dedicated to your amazing story Betrothed! All evil inspiration to make Branch's and Thistle's love life (well everyone's love life in this story to be honest) a little bit messy I can credit to you. (I know, poor guys! What's wrong with me? Why do I have to make them suffer more? It's a little bit funny, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to them and everyone else...eventually!)
> 
> And to Kino_Hayashi, your prayer has been answered! Thank you for such a beautiful comment on the last chapter! I laughed too when Branch put his foot down, I think Carter was voicing my pent up excitement. Plus, I played that song while writing more times than I care to admit so I could write the scene with the energy it deserved. So thank you again for liking it!

* * *

Yesterday night had been interesting to say the least.

As he accompanied Rose to the royal doctor after leaving Thistle in his room, she explained to him what exactly had just happened in the mixer.

Branch had never heard of alcohol before which Rose explained to him in some length. He did know of plants and toxins that created such effects. When he learned trolls drank the liquid on purpose, even though it could eventually have a negative impact on their health if they did it too often, he was quite baffled. Until Rose hesitantly explained some trolls didn’t drink it because it made them happy and less nervous but to get away from their pain.

That bit of information troubled Branch after seeing how Thistle had lashed out. He had to admit he felt bad for Thistle after he thought about the few things the troll had been yelling about. He could easily guess the source of his brother’s pain at this point.

He wasn’t going to lie though. Punching Thistle had brought him more relief than he would like to admit, it felt like a long time coming. But at the thought of that he was worried how Thistle would lash out the next morning. Rose promised him however that Thistle would not likely remember, a side effect of getting drunk, so Branch should consider himself lucky and just not bring it up.

The next day was nothing short of busy which Branch couldn’t help appreciate a bit since it kept his mind off Poppy who had strange dreams of again in the night. He was starting to suspect he was actually seeing memories of her trip. They were a little too surreal to be his imagination. But at least they told him she was alright.

The next morning Branch was invited to breakfast with his family after his training with Rose. He met his other grandmother first, who strictly told him to stand up straight so she could look him over. Maple was indeed as everyone had said: an elderly strict and conservative troll. However he relaxed when she pinched his cheek and muttered how handsome he was with a smile before she got serious again and took her seat at the table.

His cousin Rowan seemed like a strong and capable troll, polite and enthusiastic. Branch couldn’t figure out why Thistle wouldn’t allow him on a mission, he looked like a warrior like the rest of them even with round ears. Apparently, he had also heard Branch sing last night and so had King Oak from the tree palace.

King Sorbus, Rowan’s father and Branch’s mother’s elder brother, would be visiting tomorrow to meet his nephew. He would also be bringing Rowan’s elder sister, Princess Primrose. King Oak had sent out quite a few invitations as far as Branch could deduce.

His father was grinning this morning and he seemed to be in a good mood as he praised how Branch got his voice from his mother. Branch wanted to hear more about her, how they met but King Oak insisted that conversation was for later. The King also expressed how proud he was when he heard what Branch had done last night to include the other trolls in the party, Grandmother Maple however was not happy to hear that and that started a little bicker. Then King Oak would switch to a foul mood suddenly when Thistle came up in the conversation, who was late for breakfast. Apparently everyone in the palace knew of the scandal at this point at the mixer last night. The King was upset to hear of his eldest son’s behavior but also didn’t seem surprised so he switched the subject.

As much as Branch had questions especially about his past, he decided to wait before breaching the sensitive topic as he got to know his relatives.

An awkward silence fell over the table in the dining hall until Rowan asked Branch why he wasn’t touching his sausage or any other kind of meat. Branch uncomfortably and quietly explained that from where he was from they didn’t kill and eat animals. Without hesitation the King called out the chef and told him to prepare more dishes without meat for later meals for him, making Branch feel quite embarrassed. On one hand he was touched by the consideration, on the other he felt guilty for imposing special treatment indirectly for his diet.

Thistle never showed up for breakfast.

The rest of the day was better and Branch spent it with Rose, touring the kingdom and the palace on foot. Branch was breathless when he saw the library at the highest floor of the tree, it was immense. He was looking forward to coming back to it later on his own. He also met the alchemist briefly who was a strange Elder troll with wiry frayed hair like King Peppy and a pale blue complexion. It took all day to tour the kingdom and Branch ate out at local restaurants with Rose, Holly, and Moss. Carter unfortunately was on duty that day.

Rose even carried two swords with her so they could stop to train by a clearing next to the lake. Her injured arm didn’t seem to slow her down in the least.

Meeting the people Branch soon realized while Poppy’s people were more creatively inclined, the trolls of this kingdom were more intellectually or militarily inclined in pursuits. Not that they didn’t have their own creatively inclined trolls, they were just far less numerous.

Everywhere they went trolls greeted Branch with friendly enthusiasm and bows, he had left quite an impression on the village the night before at the mixer. He was asked a lot of awkward questions like if he was staying, how he liked the kingdom and lady trolls, and the most awkward of all was if he thought King Oak would make him the successor. He found out quickly that surly Thistle was not very popular among the people, feared and respected…but loved? Certainly not. The few times he had been home always ended badly or with a war declaration, it was a wonder that was all they saw of him.

By the end of the day and the two other training sessions Branch barely had enough energy to collapse in his outrageously large bed where he fell asleep in an instant.

The next morning a quiet tapping had him rousing from his bed with a start, his hair a wild mess of dark blue tangles.

Yawning he trudged out of bed and opened the door finding Rose standing there alert and wide awake.

“You’re late for training,” she said with a smirk and giggled as she looked him over.

Branch blinked sleepily, annoyed and contemplated slamming the door and going back to bed. But knowing Rose she wouldn’t let him go back to sleep and might even knock the door down.

“I’ll get ready,” he grumbled turning back into his room and stretching, his back popped and he groaned with relief and a little more alertness.

“Hehe, looks like you have admirers, Branch,” Rose teased from the doorway.

He pulled his head out of the closet and gave her a quizzical look.

“What do you mean?” he called as he picked some clothes to go under his armor.

“Guess you didn’t see them,” she laughed. “You have love letters out here and bouquets and…I think chocolates. Looks like some of them are even from yesterday.”

Okay, now Branch was _really_ freaked out. He had been so dead on his feet last night he didn’t even notice if anything was outside his door.

Instead of going to the bathroom he marched over to the door, now very much awake. He peered out and sure enough right next to his door was a table set up and lined with gifts.

“Ugh,” he groaned and withdrew back into the room as he threw his arms in the air in aggravation.

Rose laughed loudly and was shaking with her laughter against the doorframe.

“Yeah! Just keep laughing!” he barked over his shoulder and slammed the door to the bathroom to get dressed and comb his hair. He’d take a shower later since he was going to sweat anyways in a bit.

What did he have to do to get it through trolls’ heads that he was with Poppy!? He couldn’t remember how many polite rejections he had handed out yesterday when girls asked him if he was single and if he would sing for them. It was absolutely bewildering and he didn’t see what they saw in him to begin with! It was utterly frustrating and disrespectful, at least Poppy wasn’t here to see it. He wasn’t sure how she’d take it.

“I’ll move them in here for you while I wait!” Rose called still clearly snickering.

“Thanks,” Branch groaned after a moment behind the bathroom door. He supposed it would be rude to just throw it all out right now, which he was planning to do before Poppy arrived anyways.

He heard shuffling and moving outside but concentrated on getting dressed, taking off the old bandages he no longer needed, and combing out his hair. He came out a moment later to find all the gifts between the chest and desk. Rose placing the last bouquet on his desk and saw his journal and scrapbook materials...

“Writing and making something?” she asked curiously.

“When I can,” he confirmed and turned to the armor stand. He froze staring at the new metal hanging there. “What’s this?” he asked startled.

When did it even get here?

“Oh? This?” she asked as she came up next to him. “This is your official royal armor. Your father must have had it fitted for you and brought down when we were out yesterday.”

He stared over the elaborate metal and wood work and the helmet which now had a high crest with branches and leaves like Thistle's… There was even a cloak made of leaves like the one Thistle had. He faintly recalled the single large leaf cloak his father had worn yesterday morning which he had explained was a leaf of the Mother Troll Tree and only the King was allowed to wear it.

Branch realized he preferred the old dinged up armor he had been wearing so far and he realized he had grown sentimentally attached to it.

He let out a sigh and began plucking the pieces off the stand to put them on. He had gotten quite good at putting on the armor himself but Rose helped to speed things along.

“Come on let’s go, you don’t want to be late for breakfast,” she said waving him along as the last piece was snapped on and he left the leaf cloak behind. “Your family is arriving today, I’m not sure when but your father will probably want you around. I hear there will be some official announcements this evening too so you should be ready to attend. Sounds like the King argued with the Elders yesterday while we were out.”

Branch was a bit worried to hear about the Elders and hoped he hadn’t caused too much trouble as he recalled Rose’s warning about letting all the trolls mingle at the party the other night. He nodded silently to her in confirmation as he followed her out and locked the door to his room.

It took them only a few minutes via the elevators to get to the training grounds on the lower levels of the tree above the giant forge room that was at the base of the tree and partially underground.

The training area was gigantic and took up an entire ring of the tree. There were trolls already there in the morning, training in formations with unit commanders. There were also a lot of young trolls taking classes on self-defense or more advance classes if they were joining their fellow warriors as guards, scouts, or other such military professions. The royal guard stood out with their slightly different uniforms with royal colors which Rose was wearing just like Carter now that she was officially Branch’s bodyguard.

They made it to their usual training area, a private chamber away from all the other trolls.

“We’re training with swords again today,” she told him as she picked up a sword and shield off the weapon rack. “You’re getting pretty good with a spear but you won’t always have room to use one effectively. Moss and Holly want to see what you can do with a bow this afternoon.”

Branch nodded and picked up his gear. He was fairly sure he wouldn’t embarrass himself too badly with archery anymore. Last night all his arrows had hit the target even if they didn’t hit dead center. He had been worried about hitting the ceiling or wall but with the tips Rose had given him on his posture it had been a lot easier to aim.

They squared off and the fight began. Branch was getting faster and lighter on his feet, presenting a bit more of a challenge but he knew Rose was still holding back in some ways. He was progressing a lot faster than she expect however thanks to his previous experience.

Ten minutes passed and he had yet to get a scratch which was something he considered he should be proud of.

The doors of the private room swung open just as Branch parried a blow and shoved his shield forward for a blunt attack.

Rose’s shield smashed into his and she stopped as did he as he looked back and saw Thistle at the doorway with the traces of a black eye. Carter was right behind him.

Branch lowered his shield as did Rose and stared warily at Thistle. He hadn’t seen him since the night of the party.

“You’ve got another ten minutes and then we have to go. Father insists you need to attend breakfast, we have an important guest today,” Thistle informed with a neutral tone as he walked in and leaned against the wall. Carter stood some feet away with him with his typical stern and focused expression.

Branch tried not to huff as he lifted his shield back up. He wasn’t particularly fond of Thistle watching him spar but he and Rose got back into the rhythm and ignored their guests. That is until the doors swung open _again_ five minutes later.

Branch groaned annoyed as he shoved against Rose’s uplifted blade with his own sword before he lowered it as did she. They turned to see who was disturbing them yet again and the guest was one Branch had never seen before.

A troll female was standing at the door with an austere demeanor. Her mint colored skin was flawless, almost like it glowed. Her pale pink hair almost verged on a shade of white that was tied up in an elegant bun and twists of hair with a crown of silver and white daisies circling her brow. Her white dress flowed with a mint trim along the edges and a silver button in the shape of a flower over her chest. Her light green eyes looked into the room with piercing calculation. Her ears were round.

Two strange guards accompanied her, wearing armor made purely of leaves and bark and each carried a long bow on their back and curved swords at their hips.

Who was this? She exuded an air of royalty, dignity, and importance.

“Princess Azalea,” Thistle gasped and Branch was shocked by the emotion in the troll’s voice.

Branch turned to stare at the crown prince, noticing his eyes wide and his cheeks…flushed? Oh no… Branch glanced at Rose who had a blank face and her weapon lowered and the tip pressed against the ground.

“Princess,” Thistle stepped forward bowing to their guest. “We were just headed on our way to greet you. You didn’t need to come all the way down here. May I say, tales of your beauty were not exaggerated.”

What in the hair? Why was Thistle suddenly so respectful and…nice? Branch mentally grumbled at how convenient his brother behaved when it suited him, he certainly hadn’t shown Poppy the same respect!

Azalea smiled satisfied for just a moment but her voice was authoritative.

“I grew vexed waiting for you two. I was eager to see the training area anyways, I must say I am quite impressed with the establishment,” she stated with a formal and distant tone. She extended out her hand and Prince Thistle took it, giving the back of her hand a light peck.

She took her hand back and looked at Branch expectantly, extending out her hand to him. He frowned confused and turned when he noticed Thistle was giving him a glare and a slight nod of his head to come forward.

Branch held in a sigh and stepped forward, passing his sword to Rose who took it silently.

With some reservation Branch bowed and took the Princess’s hand and gave her a kiss too. It felt utterly strange to press his lips to her skin and he could taste her cloying perfume as he let go of her hand and stepped back. He wanted to stick out his tongue in disgust and wipe his mouth but managed to control the impulse though maybe not his expression too well.

“Not very polite, are you?” she asked Branch who stared at her confused.

“Forgive him, he is new to the ways of the court,” Thistle interjected stepping forward as he smiled at the Princess.

Wait! Was Thistle actually smiling!? Branch couldn’t believe it!

“Ah,” she sighed looking at Branch again. “Then you must be Prince Branch,” she nodded to him then looked to Thistle. “And you must be Crown Prince Thistle. I am Princess Azalea of the old and proud Rhodon Kingdom, allies of the Glade Kingdom since its birth, but you already knew that,” she greeted with a polite smile.

 _No, I didn’t know that._ Branch thought to himself cynically.

“Please, just Prince Thistle or even Thistle will do, my lady,” he offered with a friendly voice.

This time Branch couldn’t help the look of disbelief as he glared at Thistle. This had to be some kind of practical joke, even Carter looked shocked and his face had hardly twitched!

She smiled a little more genuinely at Thistle and nodded. “Prince Thistle will do,” she assured. She turned her sharp gaze on Branch and stepped forward.

He stiffened as she got closer and her hand touched his arm. He didn’t move and she took that as a sign to proceed as she wrapped her arm around his and took it.

“You may call me Azalea if you wish, Prince Branch,” she started taking a step to his side as Thistle glared on in disbelief as she passed him and his regal pose. “After all we will be marrying, it would be odd to call each other formally, would you not say?”

“ **WHAT!?** ” Branch and Thistle shouted together at the same time and Branch dropped his shield in his shock. It thudded and rolled before falling to the ground with a loud ringing.

Carter and Rose stared on with wide eyes trying not to gape.

Azalea winced with the unbecoming sound, making a face before it became diplomatic again.

“Your father, King Oak, did not want me to tell you but I believe upfront honesty is necessary for any arranged marriage to work,” she insisted with certainty as Branch stared dumbstruck, frozen and his mouth open. She stared unimpressed and her hand came up and shut his mouth. “Close your mouth, dear. It’s unbecoming of royalty, but don’t worry I will teach you the manners you need to know,” she smiled with a glint in her eye. “Come along now, I am famished. Tell me about yourself, your hobbies…” she said pulling Branch along with a strong grip he wasn’t expecting.

“Wait! Princess Azalea,” Thistle interjected stepping forward and blocking their way. “Surely my father would not make you marry… _this_ ,” he gestured making Branch finally snap out of his daze and glared. What did that mean? “Our kingdoms have been friends since the very beginning, if my father wished to unit them further…surely the crown prince is better suited for the crown princess,” he insisted with a debonair smile as he stood straight.

Azalea frowned at him impassively, unimpressed. “I hear you do not like to sing.”

He was caught off guard and frowned. “No…I don’t,” he admitted.

She snorted lightly, picking up her chin. “I cannot have a husband that does not sing. Now, if you do not mind, your poor attempts to woo me are taxing my patience. I wish to speak with my future husband in private. Also, I assure you this marriage is not a forced arrangement but a beneficial proposal for both our kingdoms. Now if you do not mind.”

Beneficial? How! Branch was still reeling.

Thistle was frozen shocked as Azalea pulled Branch along commandingly by the arm once more and past a petrified Thistle.

“Come Branch, I want you to take me out tonight. I expect a romantic serenade on your part, I’ll give your chef a list of meals that should be appealing and you can pick the location,” she continued as she led him to the door.

“Wait,” Branch said firmly grabbing her hand and taking off his arm. He was glaring and she seemed surprised as he stood his ground and brushed her off without hesitation. “I didn’t agree to this arrangement, Princess. I’m sorry, but I love another and this will never work. Even if I was free I wouldn’t be interested,” he said with a hard tone and leaving her staring. “Now if you don’t mind, I need to go have a word with my father. Excuse me.”

Without another word Branch stormed out, shoving the door in his way and leaving quickly.

Princess Azalea was left standing, staring in shock. She suddenly grinned widely. “Hmph! I like him, strong, handsome, assertive… Yes, this should be interesting,” she cooed to herself with a challenging grin. Never had she faced reject before, it would be an interesting game for her to win to say the least! She turned to her guards. “Escort me to breakfast, it seems my future husband needs some persuasion,” she chuckled to herself and then turned to Thistle who was glaring with disbelief. “Good day, Prince Thistle, I will see you at breakfast I presume?”

Thistle said nothing as the Princess walked out with her guards.

Rose rolled her eyes and finally moved, taking the swords back to their place. Thistle had caught her expression in time and he growled as his temper needed spending.

“What are you jeering at, Lieutenant?” he growled.

“Nothing, Crown Prince. I apologize if I offended,” she stated evenly as she placed the swords in their stands and fetched Branch’s shield off the ground.

Thistle kept glaring and then suddenly snarled. “Tell me, when did you fall in love with him?”

Rose stiffened and straightened up. Her stare suddenly became just as unfriendly as she said nothing to Thistle.

“Didn’t you hear him?” Thistle laughed. “He’s already in love, you saw it yourself. What can you possibly gain?” he mocked with a sneer. “I’ve seen how you cling to him, _very_ friendlily.”

Anger became more apparent on Rose’s face.

“What I feel for Branch is none of your concern, Thistle!” she spat suddenly.

Carter stiffened and his eyes went wide as he grimaced. Thistle stared dangerously, frozen for a moment and caught by surprise.

“Since when did you become so informal and disrespectful, Lieutenant?” he growled. “Seems like my little brother has poisoned you too.”

“Maybe I’m starting to see you don’t deserve my respect,” she retorted back crossly. “Mocking us, belittling us when we’ve done everything to protect and support you all these years! You can’t even see when the people that are in front of you love you, like me!” she accused and then she suddenly gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as she realized what she said.

Thistle’s expression became even further surprised. He started to frown, looking thoughtfully away and then back a moment later at Rose who was frozen.

“You’re right.”

She stared shocked, her stiff body not relaxing. His words were modest but cold.

“Forgive me, Lieutenant. It was undeserving. It is not as if I have forgotten how you’ve defended me with your life in the past,” he admitted with a tense tone.

Rose’s hand lowered and she stared with uncertainty and sadness. She hated seeing him like this, ever since they found Branch his entire life seemed to have gone upside down. Thistle was suddenly expressing all the pain he had withheld in himself for so long and she was afraid for him, afraid what it could end up causing. She had not expected herself to care for Branch as strongly and as quickly as she did. She knew most of the warrior trolls hadn’t expected to care and she suddenly realized in horror that Thistle felt abandoned by them for Branch. Her heart caught at the idea.

He finally sighed and looked at the ground at his feet. Thistle’s face was a mix of emotions.

“You’re right, I suppose,” he finally admitted with not much conviction. “Perhaps I have earned your disrespect. I have not been acting like the Prince that you know… Also,” he paused looking at her arm which was still bandaged. The wound had been deep enough that it required stitches and a few days to heal. “I-I am sorry, for injuring you yet again in one of my stupors. I wonder when you will finally give up trying to help me?” he wondered sarcastically to himself, clearly he recalled very well what had happened that night and he was not proud of it.

“Never,” she said softly, her hands lowering to fold over each other as she stared at Thistle sincerely. That would never change, they had taken blows for each other in the past. Of course she was going to keep trying to help him.

He gave her a dry and ironic smile, as if he pitied her effort. Without another word he turned for the door.

“Crown Prince Thistle,” she called and he stopped but didn’t turn back. “If you truly like Princess Azalea, then perhaps you should try showing her more of your genuine side,” she said carefully, a bit strained. She had never seen Thistle act this way before and she wanted him to succeed. “Why don’t you ask your brother to help you? You two…should get along, you have more in common than you think,” she said hopefully, knowing she was overstepping her bounds but she wanted nothing more than to see the two brothers get along and to see Thistle happy again.

Thistle snorted and without looking back shoved the doors and exited. Carter rushed after him, frowning sympathetically at Rose as she tried to hide her pain behind a smile.

 

* * *

 

Branch was fuming and that was an understatement as he took the elevator, stomping on his foot. And as if to try his patience the elevator got stuck halfway up the shaft for a minute or two until he punched the lever so hard the mechanism suddenly dropped the elevator before pulling it up again.

He knew he was furious. He was punching things instead of using his head!

How could his father do this after they had been getting along so well? It was an outrage!

As he reached the dining hall he shoved the door wide open finding King Oak at the head of the rectangular table with some scrolls and a pair of reading glasses he took off when he saw Branch.

“Branch? What’s the matter? Don’t tell me you and Thistle got into another fight,” he said with tired disappointment.

“No…” Branch growled as he walked forward and towards the end of the table. He stopped and let out a huff, trying to calm down. “Father…what are you doing?” he demanded.

The king looked confused. “I’m going over some scout reports, why?”

“No, I mean _what_ are you doing?” Branch requested frustrated. “What’s this about Azalea and me getting married!? What are you thinking! I love Poppy!” he said trying not to scream with rage.

King Oak let out a dreary groan and leaned back into his seat as he set his glasses down. “That girl can be so brash,” he muttered to himself annoyed. “It’s not what you think, Branch,” he started off gesturing for Branch to sit.

He didn’t, he was determined to stay standing and as the king saw this he continued.

“I’m not forcing you to marry her, Branch. Far from it. But I did tell her to try and win you over,” he admitted solemnly. “I was hoping if you find someone you like here, you’ll stay with us. Her kingdom is very close by and you would be a good king for them, I’d be able to see you often. Why don’t you try and see if you like her?” he persuaded with a smile. “She could surprise you! My own marriage was somewhat arranged. You see, to keep the royal bloodline strong our family has mostly wedded to princesses of other kingdoms over the years. I was allowed to pick from a number of princesses, sharp-ears that is,” he said and then chuckled. “Not even my father was expecting me to go out of my way to pick your mother who I had met and fallen in love with on first sight during a gala we had here in the Mother Troll Tree with our allies all those years ago when I was still young and rash.”

Branch had to sit down half way through the king’s words and he was staring, not sure what to make of what he was being told. He was curious to hear more but the issue of Princess Azalea pressed more urgently on his mind.

“Father…” he sighed shaking his head and he decided he needed to clear his standing now more than ever. “I can’t love Azalea, I’m sorry.”

“My son, you haven’t even tried!” he chuckled at his stubbornness. “I know how young love can be, I had my own romances in my youth. Passion, fire! But,” he voice became serious and fatherly, “that does not last forever. When you find that right mate that can complement your strengths and balance your weaknesses, you can build a strong lasting relationship…”

“Poppy is my soul mate!” Branch finally barked exasperated, cutting his father off as he slammed his hand against the table in frustration.

King Oak was staring with wide eyes. “What?”

“Poppy. Is. My. _Soul mate_ ,” Branch said each word hard with emphasis as he scowled at the king.

“As in…?” the King was obviously lost for words.

“Yes, as in what the word implies,” Branch sighed, calming down as he saw the words were registering in his father’s head. “We share a special bond, she is just not any troll to me. We have something special that connects us, that connects our feelings and hearts together. Do you know how much it hurts to be away from her right now?” Branch asked letting some of his pain come forth. “How much it bothers me when I feel her in danger or sad or lonely? Do you know how hard that is? And then to have you trying to fix me up with someone else?” he said almost desperately.

King Oak stood up and pulled Branch into a hug, making Branch gasp and sag with relief against the contact. He didn’t realize how desperately he had needed that hug.

“I’m sorry, my son,” the king sighed patting his back. “I had no idea, you should have told me sooner,” he insisted. “I would have understood.”

Branch sighed, feeling his anger leave him as he hugged him back. They broke apart a few moments later and King Oak had a firm grip on Branch’s shoulders.

“I’ll straighten the matter out with Princess Azalea, don’t you worry,” he promised.

Branch smiled with relief as he felt the tension breathe out of him with his breath. “Thank you.”

“And I promise I won’t do anything foolish like that again,” he smiled. “Don’t you worry, your Queen Poppy will arrive safely. Our warriors will protect her with their lives, of that I can promise. I know how special and powerful that sort of bond can be, how terrible it can be too, you are not the first in the family to experience it. When my elder brother perished his mate died soon after him from grief, losing _all_ her color as her soul died when he did. As I understood it she felt it when it happened and it left her...with absolutely nothing, and no life force of her own. She wasted away to death in mere days and there was nothing anyone could do. They too shared the same bond and it was devastating to watch their fates’ end with such misery,” he said grimly. “I won’t let the same happen to you and your mate, my son. I promise,” he said with thundering conviction.

Branch froze, astonished by the information. He relaxed a moment later with a slight smile at the promise but now he was more worried than ever with the new information. Death after losing their colors? There…could not be a worse fate. It mortified him and the fear was obvious in his eyes now as he thought about Poppy suffering such a fate, he could think of nothing worse.

“If you are troubled about her and need someone to talk to, just come to me,” he insisted shaking Branch’s arms gently and giving them a comforting squeeze. “I know what it is like to not have the one you love most beside you, my son. So if you need someone to talk to about it, talk to me,” he smiled empathetically.

Branch smiled at his father, relieved the air was finally cleared on the matter. He nodded to him in agreement.

“I will. Father,” he started a bit bashful. “I’d like to hear more about you and mother and…why she and grandma ran away with me,” he said seriously, wanting to leave the other topic behind.

King Oak looked away, a bit troubled and his gaze distant. “I wanted to wait till your uncle arrived to tell you. You see, he and I have not been on good terms since she left so I wanted you to hear about her from him too and hope it will help the two sides of the family reconcile. But I suppose there is no harm telling you more right now,” he reflected and the stared out into space. “I met her when I was younger than you…” he started off. “She was radiant,” he grinned. “I remember that party so well, I asked her to dance with me and she brushed me off!” he laughed. “She was actually shy and she thought it would be insulting to my father if she danced with me, the prejudice was a lot stronger back then. But I didn’t care about her ears. So I followed her around like a love-struck troll and tried talking with her. She was beautiful and smart so I kept on insisting to have a dance as if I didn’t know the meaning of the word no.”

Branch chuckled, he could almost imagine it.

“She finally said yes near the end of the party, I imagine she was tired of my insisting or she felt bad for me. But as we danced…it was like magic, the whole world vanished except her and she even sang to me while we danced,” he sighed with an adoring smile. “By the end of the night I was deeply in love with everything about her. When the party was over she left with her parents…but not before I swooped in with a rose and kissed her behind one of the root archways outside the stables,” he blushed. “She slapped me.”

Branch couldn’t help it, he started laughing, pressing his hand to mouth and trying to stifle the noise.

King Oak was grinning, his gray cheeks flushed with a hint of color. He looked like he was physically brightening.

“I couldn’t tell my father though, he would have had a fit and tried to burn their kingdom to the ground,” he scowled seriously as he said this. “It would be a few months before I got to see her again but during that time I sent her letters in secret every week with poems I wrote for her.”

Branch froze and he looked up, suddenly smiling. “The sun knows no equal to your smile and roses bloom with just the whisper of your name on my breath…?” he quoted.

King Oak sat up, staring shocked. “Where did you hear that?”

Branch chuckled, shaking his head. “Mother kept all your poems. I have them back home, it is one of the few things I have left of her. In fact…” he blushed and let out an awkward cough. “It inspired me to write poems about Poppy all these years. I have several books of poetry just about her.”

He looked up and stared concerned as he saw tears threatening to fall from King Oak’s eyes.

“She kept them…?” he whispered. “That…” he choked up, sniffling and taking out a handkerchief from his pocket. He noisily blew his nose and wiped his eyes. “I can’t believe it, she kept them. I was sure she had gotten rid of them after that night…” he groaned sadly.

Branch frowned, a part of him told him to stay silent and another told him to ask.

“What…happened that night?” he asked quietly, his eyes searching as he looked at the king.

King Oak sighed and continued his story. “After that I managed to sneak away on scouting trips to go visit her. Her kingdom is only a few days from here to the south. We started to date in secret like this,” he smiled fondly. “Of course it wasn’t long before I got caught,” he grimaced. “Not by my father but by her parents, who honestly didn’t know what to think of our romance. Your grandmother Rosiepuff,” he smiled looking at Branch, “was very compassionate and kind about it, while your grandfather Bramble was very afraid of what might happen if my father found out.”

Branch stared intrigued. He had never heard his grandfather’s name till that point.

“Of course I was young and naïve and it didn’t take my father long to figure out I was smitten and sneaking away on my missions. And it was during that time…” he frowned. “That we went to war with a kingdom of dwarf trolls. My father was fatally wounded and my elder brother killed and he decided it was time I inherit the crown and in doing so I needed a wife now that our family was getting so small. I tried everything but he would have nothing of it when I tried to convince him to let me marry someone else that was not from the princesses he had selected.”

He picked up a cup of water and took a drink as Branch watched with anticipation for him to continue.

“Then one day, one of my missions went wrong when I snuck off to meet your mother. I didn’t realize my father was following me, it was raining and as I made it to our usual meeting spot…” he hesitated, swallowing. “I was attacked by an enemy scouting party of the dwarf trolls we were fighting. They had been tracking my movements for some time in hopes to capture me and use me as ransom to end the war. Your mother…” he shook his head and smiled admiringly. “She swooped in and with me fought them off till my father arrived with his guards. When he saw how we tried to protect each other and how even she was willing to take a blow to save my life…” he let out an ironic laugh. “He finally relented and gave me his blessing to ask for her hand in marriage.”

Branch was stunned, fascinated as he imagined the young lovers that were his parents. It was almost too much to believe.

“We were married soon after and had your brother, Thistle, named after her late father who had died of sickness soon after our marriage,” he continued and his voice grew grim. “But we were not happy long, you see…your mother was never fond of our warlike nature and she insisted that we should forge peace and happiness instead of war with the other kingdoms. But I was young, impulsive, and filled with fire for war after my elder brother’s death. I wasn’t supposed to become king you see, and I had my own vision of how to make our kingdom great again and that was by having all the other kingdoms band together under our leadership and if they didn’t agree I would convince them by force. I didn’t listen to her and our relationship grew strained…” he finally seemed to pause, his hands folded and pressed to his face, slightly muffling his voice.

“Three years after Thistle, you were born and she named you after the Mother Troll Tree itself, after her branches that reach for the sky yet protect everything underneath its shade and support the pods of our people. The branches of a tree are just as import as her roots, my son. That is why they mirror each other as one reached to anchor and drink the rainwater and nutrients of the soil and take life from the earth and the other reaches for the sunlight and sky above and bears life. She wanted your name to mean all of that, all of which the branches of the tree represent. I believe…she hoped for a better, more nurturing nature for you than the one I was already influencing on your brother at the time.”

Branch sat up straight, his face thoughtful and a bit awed as he learned the meaning of his own name. That…was quite a meaning to put behind his name. He had always found his name to be a bit uncreative and uninspired. But after hearing what his father just said, he couldn’t think of his name the same way again.

King Oak sighed sadly, shaking his head. “I should have seen what I was doing at the time… Realize it as I taught Thistle our ways even as a small boy… Your mother did not want that for you and so she left with you, and it was too late for Thistle. He and I were very close, once, and I don’t think she could bear tearing us apart. Since a young age he showed signs of being a great warrior so I trained him since the moment he could walk. But your mother didn’t want that life for you, she hadn’t wanted it for Thistle either. She had seen what that kind of life had done to me and to our people over the years, how that loss defined and hardened us against our true nature as trolls.”

Branch frowned. Could it really be that simple? Somehow, Branch wasn’t sure he could believe it even with the genuine tone of pain his father spoke with. It couldn’t possibly be that simple or could it? He didn’t see the secret Thistle had spoken of in his father’s words.

“And when I realize it…it was too late,” King Oak sighed and his skin was as grey as when the conversation had started. “Your mother was gone and with her, you and all my happiness. In my grief I started more wars to find her over the years till I finally gave up, long after I had turned grey. And you know the story after that,” he finished simply.

Branch fell silent, unsure what to think. His heart and his gut were conflicted and his brain was not helping to solve the emotional fray going on inside him.

What neither troll realized was the slightly cracked door of the dining room and the figure hidden in the shadows listening to the entire conversation. Thistle’s face was hard, thoughtful, and dark and he was alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To my Thistle/Rose shippers...don't hate me! I'm sorry but this was always how it was planned out! *runs*


	17. Poppy's Journey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter in Poppy's POV! Sorry for the wait to hear from Poppy, this chapter is a little dense but hopefully interesting nonetheless as you get an update from our favorite pink queen! I must apologize in advance but unfortunately you will all suffer my corny poetry, I've been told I can write good poetry but to quote Jon Snow from GoT, "I'm not a bleeding poet."
> 
> Did no one like the meaning behind Branch's name? No? Just me? Oh well, I'm rolling with it! *puts on shades and plays some cool music*
> 
> As usual thank you for the wonderful comments last chapter! I'm not sure if I comment to each one if a notification is received? Anyways, I want you all to know how much I appreciate them and I admit they make me write a little bit more quickly, haha. To invoke a strong reaction is the job of any writer! Even if it ends up with me being pelted by tomatoes... *cough* I'm not sure if I smell "fruity" or like "spaghetti" at this point but a certain writer might just have the favor returned! *coughs to disguise an evil laugh*
> 
> Also check out Secretsivekept's amazing fan art! It is absolutely beautiful in capturing all that is Broppy love! Thank you again so much for being inspired by my story! I will be sharing some of my own mediocre sketches in a later chapter of the characters as I envisioned them. Till then, enjoy!
> 
> Secretsivekept's Amazing Art: http://secretsivekept.tumblr.com/post/158498200003/because-i-am-100-broppy-trash-and-this-movie-has

* * *

 

“Poppy, we need a break!”  Suki panted.

“Yeah, I know you want to get to Branch as soon as possible, Poppy, but…” Biggie agreed in his docile voice.

“We’re not made for so much walking!” Satin and Chenille gasped together as they came over the slope of a fallen log with the rest of the Snack Pack behind their energetic pink leader.

Poppy sighed as she stopped and planted her spear firmly into the log below her, making the wood crack.

“Alright, let’s take a lunch break,” she said turning around to face her friends. She wished they could pick up the pace but she seemed to be the only one with that much fire in her steps.

The entire group groaned in relief and slumped where they stood on the log that bridged over a calm river, a lot wider than the one Poppy had crossed with Branch on their first adventure.

“I think I’m sweating glitter,” Guy complained shaking his arms and glitter fell off.

It was the second day of their trip and Poppy was getting quite a handle on the survival skills written in Branch’s guide book. She had even made the fire last night all by herself, well, everyone had helped gather the sticks for the fire. So far, they hadn’t eaten any poisonous berries or one that made them puff up like marshmallows over a fire so that was a win in Poppy’s book. They also hadn’t walked into the mouth of a monster so far, another win.

“How do you know we’re going the right way again?” Suki asked pulling a sandwich out of her pack.

“I told you guys!” Poppy said excitedly rushing forward and shrugging off her own backpack, well Branch’s bag really with its slingshot and other accessories. “My hair started to glow and this string of hair pointed me in the right direction.” She pointed to her hair behind her leaf crown as she explained.

“You still haven’t shown us,” Suki pointed out as she took a bite of her sandwich.

“Yeah, you should show us Poppy!” Cooper insisted as he took out his own sandwich from his large pack.

Poppy tried not to pout. “I told you guys I don’t know how I did it the first time. I’ve been trying every night since we started walking…”

“I wonder why that is,” Biggie questioned worried as he set out a cupcake for Mr. Dinkles.

“I don’t know,” Poppy sighed. “Maybe I’m not feeling desperate enough for it to happen again…”

She didn’t know how that was possible though, it was taking all her energy to stay positive every day since they started. She was burning with determination and it kept her going and even let her sing with her friends as they marched. But she was secretly very worried…

Ever since the first night of their trip she started to feel strange sensations all over her body. It happened so early in the morning that she was the first to wake up and so late at night that she was the last to fall sleep. In all honesty she should be the most tired out of the group, but feeling the soft aches like she was getting hit only made her worry more. Even though the sensation quickly vanished each time she knew it was Branch and even though she felt no distress from him she was wondering if he was in danger…or worse if he was being tortured. She grimaced at the ideas, starting to feel some panic and the desire to start running in Branch’s direction again.

Instead she pulled out a sandwich from her bag and started to eat in order to calm her nerves, although her stomach was tight and she wasn’t really hungry. She looked into her bag and realized she didn’t have enough food…maybe only for a few more days.

“How far away do you think it still is?” Suki spoke up seeming to voice Poppy’s very concerns.

“Yeah…” Satin started looking worriedly into her bag.

“We don’t have enough food for long,” Chenille finished for her twin.

Poppy swallowed her mouthful and she tried to smile but she ended up frowning instead. “Branch is getting farther away each day, I can feel it,” she informed rather concerned. “But,” she was grinning now, trying to raise their hopes. “There is troll village nearby and it should be only three more days away. We can ask for some food and directions.”

The others were nodding but Guy and Smidge were not as they exchanged a glance.

“But Poppy,” the glittery silver troll started, his auto-tuned squeaked with a note of fear. “What if they are not friendly like the trolls that took Branch?”

The others started to frown as they realized this possibility and exchanged worried glances.

“Don’t worry, guys!” Poppy brushed off their fears with a wave of her hand. “The book says they are friendly trolls like us. My grandpa King Pappy, used to trade with them a long time ago. I’m sure they’ll welcome us!”

The others seemed to be relieved by this information and the Queen’s bright smile. But underneath the smile Poppy was still privately fretting over their concern, a lot could have changed since all those years ago, she just hoped it hadn’t. Hope would have to be enough for now because they desperately needed help and a lead.

They continued on their journey after their lunch break and a quick hug time. They trekked mostly though a forest till they reached the edges of a lovely meadow. The scent of the flowers was relaxing and they decided to call it a night now that the sun was long gone and it was getting dark. The nocturnal beasts were starting to stir quietly from their abodes.

Poppy was relatively pleased with the distance they had covered, she herself was tired as they set up camp.

The fire was kindling, warm and comforting and the flowers near the edge of the clearing towered above them and edged the starry night sky.

Sleeping bags were arranged in a circle around the fire and DJ Suki had pulled out a harmonica to start playing some music. The group started to join in as Cooper started to rap to the beat.

Poppy however was not feeling it tonight.

She wanted some silence for once, how odd and ironic. She could easily remembering Branch asking her to give him just that at the start of their trip. Of course, she wasn’t going to snap at her friends or throw their instruments in the fire. But she had a lot on her mind for once that she wanted to think about and the music wasn’t helping her concentrate. In fact, she felt a little irritated for some reason and she didn’t know why, which was irritating in it of itself. She didn’t like being in a bad mood! Especially not one she couldn’t explain. Was it Branch? She wasn’t sure, she was still rather new to the emotion sharing sensation between them and it was still a little hard to tell the feelings apart, for now.

So, Poppy ended up taking a little walk back into the forest to find some berries near the campsite.

She had her hair curled up and holding the lamp over her head, her left hand held the spear, and in her right she had the survival guide open. She was looking and reading about the edible berries as she strolled amidst the bushes.

She finally came across some familiar blue berries and after checking the guide twice she was grinning. These would certainly help with the trip!

Flipping the spear she stabbed it into the ground and then closed the book and put it down too. She shook out the cloth bag she had taken from the backpack and began to pluck the ripest of the berries.

Sudden pain sliced across her face and Poppy yelped.

The bag of berries thudded quietly against the ground and the berry she had been holding rolled away across the grass. Her hand was firmly pressed against her cheek and she was bewildered wondering I the cut had somehow opened up again.

No. The cut was already healed and there was just a little scab left. Yet the pain lingered and she realized it was not directly over the area of the cut.

What was going on? She could feel adrenaline pumping through her…anger.

She yelped, falling back as she felt a strange sensation of force on her face. Her eyes even closed tight as if she had been hit by a current of wind as she landed on her rump.

She opened her eyes and panted fearfully, what was wrong?

It was Branch! She was sure of it! This time she could feel the sense of danger clear as day. She felt afraid…no! Branch felt afraid!

Poppy tried to surge to her feet, desperate to reach him as she closed her eyes tight and concentrated. But before she could even try she was overwhelmed by such a powerful sense of rage that her blood went cold.

And more pain started to come, ghosts, manifestations of physical pain. There was a burning sensations running across her arms like dozens of cuts. Then a hard hit against her ribs that she even doubled over with a pained gasp and then another pain across her right leg by her knee. What was this?! It hurt so much! It was like burning alive without the fire but all the heat and scorching left behind.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she prayed that it would soon pass. She couldn’t even try reaching Branch with the overload of pain she was receiving.

Then the worse pain of all suddenly exploded across her left ankle, feeling like it sliced to the very bone and her cry of pain pierced the night and echoed out among the trees.

“Branch!” she yelled out, desperately clawing through the pain to reach him and then everything went black as her eyes rolled into her head and she slumped to the ground.

It was dark at first and even in her unconscious state she was trying to reach him…

Color flooded the blackness, weak, tinted splashes of color running like paint in water. Swirling and running to form patterns that became clearer and less distorted.

She caught a glimpse of a campfire and friendly talking and she began to recognize the troll warriors that had taken Branch. The scene shifted and she could see that she was talking to a red troll but realized she was hearing Branch’s voice talk back. She couldn’t quite understand what was being said, but by the smile on the other troll’s face and the relaxed sensation from Branch…it was a good conversation.

Then the scene suddenly shifted with a flash of blinding white. The moonlight…bouncing off a deadly blade of silver in the night, it was edged with firelight radiant and burning like embers of golden orange against the crisp silvery blues. Then there was the purple troll with a sneering face holding that icy fire-touched spear. There after came the fear that came with a dance of blades clanging death’s music in the night.

Splashes of red followed in the dance she couldn’t understand that blurred with precision and steps she couldn’t catch. The pain…the pain!

Poppy suddenly gasped awake, panting hard and hovering over her and washed in firelight against the starry sky was her friends.

“Poppy!” they all yelled relieved at once.

“What happened!?” Suki asked desperately.

“We heard you scream!” Biggie sniffled, tears already in his scared eyes.

“My ankle,” Poppy hissed pushing herself up and reaching for it. She touched it and winced, crying out in pain and she looked down. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the bright red angry mark going across her pink skin.

“How did that happen?” the twins fretted, already they were unwrapping bandages between their hands.

“It…” Poppy trailed off still staring at the bruise mortified. “Branch was injured…”

“What?!” the group shouted together.

“It was a really bad wound,” Poppy started, her voice breaking into a sob and tears started to come down her face. “He was in so much pain!”

Suddenly arms were squeezing around her and she was being hugged from all sides as she cried.

“It’ll be alright, Poppy. Just let it out.”

“He’ll be okay.”

“You’ll be okay too.”

“We’ll get him back.”

Poppy didn’t know who said what, it was all a jumbled mess of comforting words but she snuggled into the hug and wrapped her arms around the arms holding her. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe, to calm her panic as she recalled the pain, both the physical one and the emotional pain she had felt drowning her mate at that moment.

It took her a few minutes but her tears had dried into sniffles. The pain had left her ankle but the bright red mark was still there and it felt tender even looking at it.

“Thank you,” she finally whispered and let out a long breath of air as the other let go of her.

“That was really scary,” Cooper murmured as he lay down on his belly and looked at Poppy’s ankle.

“How do you know what happened?” Suki asked her quietly.

Poppy’s face scrunched up unhappily. “I might have forgotten to mention that ever since we kissed, we’ve…been experiencing each other’s strong feelings,” she sighed, slumping back.

The Snack Pack let out quiet gasps as Poppy let the twins bandage her ankle.

“I think I’ve heard of that before,” Suki mentioned absently.

“I thought I felt that once,” Cooper said with his usual cluelessness.

Poppy shrugged. “I’ve been getting feelings of pain from him too, but this is the first time I’ve felt so much of it. And the first time it shows up on my skin too,” she grumbled turning her ankle as the twins finished by tying a bow with the ends of the bandages.

“I thought you looked tired in the mornings,” Smidge added irked as she glared at Poppy with her big eyes.

 “I didn’t get a feeling that he was in danger the last few times it happened, but this time I did…and I think I dreamed what happened to him.”

The others were all gaping and staring, waiting for her to explain.

“I think I saw his brother do this to him,” Poppy muttered. “I’m pretty sure it was him in fact,” she said with sudden anger.

“That jerk!” the twins echoed with crossed arms over their chests.

“Poor Branch…” Biggie muttered scared and sad.

“We’ll get him back! Right, Poppy?” Suki said looking at their leader with a big encouraging smile.

Poppy smiled with her enthusiasm, and gave her a hard nod. “Definitely!”

They turned in for the night and when everyone was in their sleeping bags Poppy felt her brave face leave her. She looked at the spear next to her sleeping mat which was Branch’s and still faintly smelled like him. She stared at the spear for a long time. Her friends had brought it back with the rest of her things and the berries when they had rushed to find her after hearing her scream.

Rolling over she realized holding the spear wasn’t enough. She needed to know how to use it too, especially if something bad happened and she was in front of that purple troll again.

For now she stared up at the sky and thought of Branch. Hoping he would be alright. She went over the events of that horrible night he was taken in her head, again, still trying to piece it all together. From what the purple troll had said, the King must be his and Branch’s father. Which made them…

Her eyes widened as it clicked in her head. Branch was a prince! And if they were indeed brothers why was the purple troll so mean to him? Poppy didn’t understand it. She would have been thrilled if she had a little brother or sister, she would have treated them nicely. So what was the purple troll’s problem?

It all gave her a headache as she tried to figure it out. Instead she pulled out the journal and key from her hair and ran her fingers across the cover. With a silent click of the key in the keyhole the old journal opened up and she flipped to a random page.

She stopped on a page with a poem titled “Poppy” and started to read.

 

_Poppies are used to stop pain._

_And you are no different by name._

_A smile my way and my heart melts_

_just a little and the pain goes away._

_But then your smile leaves my eyes_

_and the pain comes back again._

_I’d make your smile into medicine_

_and take it every day like sunshine._

_How can I tell you, this is how much I love you?_

_That your smile heals my pain, just like your name?_

_That I feel color almost come back into me?_

_Poppy, please never stop showing your smile._

_Or the sun will die and so will I, without you_

_all the color in the world will turn to grey._

_So never stop smiling every day._

Poppy gasped, smiling with tears in her eyes as she gently closed the book and hugged it hard to her chest. Branch was still there with her, telling her what she needed to hear when she needed it most.

_I won’t stop smiling, Branch. I promise._

 

* * *

 

Sudden screeching in the air the next morning had Poppy waking up with a start from some strange lucid dreams about weapon sparring. Before she knew it everyone was running into the field of flowers, she could hear Cooper yelling. She was lying down with the journal still hugged to her chest as she had fallen asleep.

Quickly shoving the book into her hair she picked up the spear and leapt to her feet only to cringe with gritted teeth as pain lanced like thunder and surged up her left leg.

She immediately noticed a pair of the same one-eyed birds that had chased her during her first trip, squawking and diving for her friends. A third bird swooped in out of the rustling leaves of a tree above.

Taking one step forward to run and she gasped, panting as she was unable to move her leg with the speed she wanted.

“Poppy, watch out!”

She looked up and a large yellow eye with a bright red pupil was headed her way, a big dark blue beak gaping and cawing.

“That’s it!” she growled frustrated. This wasn’t happening twice!

She swung her head once and out her pink hair flew like a tide of florescent fire.

Smack!

The pink barrage hit the bird’s eye dead center making it cry out in surprise, its wing flailed and thrashed in a feathery mess as it was temporarily blinded. Poppy’s hair curled and snapped shut around the beak and suddenly she was yanked from the ground as it shot by. Flying through the air she swung her torso forward to give herself momentum and suddenly she was vaulting high and over the bird and she landed on a soft feathery back with a thud.

She ignored the pain shooting up her sensitive ankle or the moment, lifted the spear…

And WHACK!

The bird let out a muffled cry as the spear smacked squarely on top if its head and it came crashing down to the earth. The wind ripping past them and THUD!

Dirt went flying, raining through the air in a spray of brown and green. Poppy held on tight, her pink hands grasping feathers and the spear tightly between her fingers. Suddenly the bird stopped moving, letting out a loud squawking groan as it yellow eye rolled in dizzying circles.

Poppy sighed. Suddenly the earth shook and she jumped looking up to see the two other birds standing in her way. Both opened their mighty blue beaks and she remembered how she was swallowed by one before. Now that, had been a trip and a half somehow straight into an egg.

“Alright! That’s enough!” she snapped pointing her spear up at the two one-eye birds.

They froze, orange feathers puffed and the pink ring of feathers around their necks stood on end as they stared at the shiny sharp object.

She yanked her hair and smacked the third bird’s head into the dirt again and glared at all three of them and scolded.

“I’ve had it up to my hair with you guys trying to eat us! Trolls are **not** food!”

The birds let out squeaks, shaking and staring at the spear in her hand with tracking eyes.

“Now,” Poppy sighed, relaxing and smiled with mischief on her face. “As an apology I think you guys should take us to the troll village just three days from here,” she said smugly letting the spear swing and rest over her shoulder like she had been holding one her entire life. “In exchange I won’t whack your heads and we’ll call it even. If you want food you can just ask, we have plenty of berries,” she smirked proudly. “So, what do you say?”

The two standing birds exchanged a look and then looked down at the bird still trapped under Poppy’s feet with its beak tied up with pink hair. It let out a groan and the other birds sighed noisily and plopped down on the ground with a simple nod of their big heads.

“Great!” Poppy grinned enthusiastically and unraveled her hair, jumping off the bird she had knocked down. “Ouch…” she grimaced as her ankle twinged, then smiled suddenly looking out to the field of flowers. “Come on out guys, everything is _under control!_ ” she exaggerated the last two words loudly.

Her friends peered out from behind tall stalks of flowers staring at her in bewilderment and shock.

“Poppy…how did you do that?” Biggie asked with a shaking voice as he stepped out and began walking over.

“Come on guys, I’ve always been able to make friends with the critters around the village,” she scoffed.

“No, no, I mean the jumping and the…fighting,” Biggie explained with a frown.

Poppy grinned confidently. “Oh, that? Branch and I had a lot of practice during our trip swinging around with our hair to avoid danger,” she explained.

“No, I think he means the spear action, Poppy,” Suki corrected glancing at the big blue troll who nodded.

Poppy frowned confused and even looked at the spear like it might have the answer. “What do you mean?”

“Girl, didn’t you see how you were waving that thing around?” Chenille demanded as she walked up with Satin.

“Yeah, you even hit that bird like it was nothing!” Satin finished.

Poppy was really frowning confused now and she shrugged. “I don’t know. Is it supposed to be hard to hold a spear?” she asked actually baffled by what they were asking. Of course she felt a little bad about hitting the bird…she didn’t exactly like hurting other living things but she had little choice this time.

“I don’t think so,” Smidge answered.

“But you were twirling it like Branch did with that spoon that one time,” Guy added. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Huh,” Poppy mused pulling the spear in front of her and looking at it carefully, she hadn’t realized she had handled it any special way. Maybe she was just naturally talented? “I wonder if it’s because I was dreaming I was training with one?” she asked herself aloud. “Well, Branch was training with one actually, with that red troll… I don’t really remember what was said in the dream but it’s like…I just know,” she shrugged nonchalant.

Now the others were staring with silent shock.

“Man I wish I could learn things from my dreams,” Cooper complained.

The others started to laugh and agree while the three birds sat by staring confused, still cautious of the dangerous pink troll and the shiny hard stick she was waving around.

Poppy smiled at her friends and told them to pack up camp. As promised, Poppy fed the birds some berries and they didn’t seem so nervous now. They even liked it when she scratched their chests and their tongues lolled out like a dog’s would.

Smidge, Fuzzbert, and Biggie rode together on one bird. While Satin and Chenille took a seat in front of Cooper on the second bird and Poppy, DJ Suki, and Guy Diamond took the lead with the bird the Queen had taken down.

That night Poppy dreamt of a harrowing trip through a canyon with fearsome birds.

With the bird’s help the journey was a little faster but the birds were significantly slowed down by the weight and they arrived at the new Troll Tree they could see far to the eastern horizon by sunset on the fifth day of their trip. Of course, they stopped to take a break each night and at lunch so the birds could rest which Poppy had named Cocoa, Puff, and Marigold.

Each morning she practiced with the spear after the dreams she had in the night, just to get herself to remember what she—well, what Branch had learned. It was no problem since she woke up earlier than the others thanks to the beatings Branch was getting which were lessening over the days. However, she ended up whacking herself quite often in her practice…but it didn’t stop her from trying again!

She wondered why she dreamt of Branch’s sparring lessons. Maybe they were the most potent memories of his day? The red troll was always in them and she felt like she should be able to remember her name by this point since Branch spoke it so often, but it slipped Poppy’s mind every time she woke up just like everything else that had been said in the dream. She only remembered images clearly and like she knew the instructions but that was it…

DJ Suki, Guy Diamond, and Smidge had started waking up early with her each morning and even joined her training, mimicking her moves with makeshift wooden staffs. Just like everything Smidge, the tiny troll had a stick almost as long as her hair.

They reached the troll village around sunset of the fourth day of their trip and they were greeted by a friendly king and queen with their people. At first they had been afraid when the Snack Pack arrived on their large birds, which Poppy had released now that their promise was fulfilled. The tree birds actually looked regretful to leave them behind but did not hesitate to take off and return home.

This place was the troll kingdom of Autumn Trolls who lived in a part of the forest that was painted with golden, red, and even pink leaves even in the spring. The great birch trees here had white trunks with black stripes and even their troll tree had the same kind of wood. The trolls here were much like Poppy’s people except glittering trolls were rare, so Guy Diamond had eyes on him since the moment his sparkling body had landed. He didn’t mind one bit.

Poppy had never seen another troll village before and she was enthusiastic to explore and learn more but she knew they didn’t have the time. She would have to content to just see the outside of their pods that formed a network in the branches and were even connected by bridges made of troll hair.

As she explained their situation the monarchs looked worried and as Poppy showed them the emblem they seemed to pale. However they did recognize the name of her grandfather and were curious to hear the story of why Poppy’s village had effectively vanished and fallen into silence over twenty years ago. This was the first time she heard her village referred to as the Rainbow Troll Kingdom* because they had just about a little bit of everything. In fact it was even the surname of Poppy’s royal family. She knew she’d have to ask her father when she got back home, although it was also in the book she had borrowed from Sylvia.

To discuss everything further they were invited to dinner which was a relief for her friends who were tired of sandwiches.

After they shared the story of the Bergens they were told about the trolls that had taken Branch. This was when they learned more of the Glade Trolls and their way of life, their way of conquest. In fact, the Autumn Troll Kingdom was a vassal to the Glade Trolls, a concept that quite confused Poppy.

In simple terms they owed allegiance and services to the main kingdom, mostly in trading supplies, foods, and crafts. Another price they paid too, left Poppy mortified as the King and Queen spoke of it sadly.

Every five years they and the other kingdoms had to send all their children to the Mother Troll Tree for a ceremony, a ritual they had no choice in to keep their villages safe for another five years. And every time there were three less children to send back home. If they refused, the Glade Trolls would wage war and take the children by force, an outcome they all knew they could not afford to pay.

Poppy was horrified and as she asked what happened to the three children that never came back the queen started to cry. The king quietly explained that the children were sacrificed, devoured by an ancient evil in order to keep it asleep so the Mother Troll Trees and all the other Troll Trees and even the Trolls would not die and the world would not lose its color.

Apparently, this had been happening for centuries now but Poppy’s kingdom was so far flung from the original tree that they had been spared the miserable fate. It was also only in the past quarter century that the evil awoke every five years rather than once every decade as it once had. Before, the kingdoms only lost one child and sometimes it wasn’t even one of their own but of the Glade Trolls. But that had all changed mysteriously twenty-five years ago when calamity had struck and nearly destroyed the Glade Trolls and the Mother Troll Tree. Many feared the ancient evil was finally regaining its power, readying itself to be free from its spellbound form and that the Trolls were only delaying their inevitable end.

Now, in just one more weeks and a half the Autumn Trolls would have to send their children on the trip once more with the other kingdoms and pray they came back and for another five years of peace. It was hard to be happy with such a dark future constantly looming.

In his terror, Cooper had more than three cupcakes come out of his rear end from where he sat. The mood was suddenly morbid over the dining table and Poppy didn’t know how to feel. It was a terrible price to sacrifice children to save the many…it was wrong. How could this be happening for so long? She wanted to do something to stop it but she didn’t know what and she was more worried about Branch than ever.

Afterwards, they learned a little more about the Glade Trolls. The current king was called Oak and the crown prince was named Thistle and for about the last twenty five years the king had been searching for his lost family, sowing war and destruction across the Troll Tree kingdoms far worse than his father before him. Poppy couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe trolls could be so savage but she also knew that pain and the desire to be happy could make others do the unthinkable. As Poppy asked for a description of Thistle her suspicions were confirmed. Her friends gasped as they too finally realized the truth.

Branch was the missing son of the king. Branch, his mother, and grandmother were the trolls that King Oak had waged war for in his search in the past twenty-four years.

Afterwards they were offered a place to stay for the night and everyone couldn’t agree faster. Except Poppy who was silent. She had trouble sleeping that night even in the nice large bed she was offered and when she finally did that night she didn’t dream of sparring for once, instead her dreams were filled with the most marvelous sight she had ever seen. A tree so massive and old with a motherly air of protection and safety…even in her sleep it felt like her breath was taken away. And then the dream shifted and she started to sing a familiar song groggily, giggling in her sleep and biting her lip as she hummed and dreamed of Branch singing and dancing. Then the dream ended abruptly and her sleep was empty and dark.

They left the next morning after breakfast and a friendlier chat with their hosts, giving them many thanks and promises to come visit again. Poppy was in a better mood despite everything, her ankle was all healed!

Afterwards the king and queen offered their best wishes especially to Poppy and hope she got her mate back. They were then given generous gifts that had surprised all of the Snack Pack. They were given special troll camel mounts, even one with a cart for Cooper to sit in and drive his steed. The queen explained that they could keep them or send them back home when their trip was over and they would find their way on their own. Next they were given supplies, including food and drinks for the nine day trip ahead of them and directions to the Glade Troll kingdom and a map that showed the way, the dangers and the location of the kingdoms.

Poppy and the Snack Pack were off!

The following three days were uneventful with the usual sparring dreams and Poppy experiencing Branch’s pains each day which were significantly lessening. On the third day they finally reached the edges of the forest and into the arid desert lands that led to the dangerous canyon the Autumn king and queen had spoken of.

“I wish we had kept Cocoa, Puff and Marigold! Flying was so much faster,” Cooper complained for what seemed the thousandth time as he panted and withered under his pink coat in the heat.

“But we couldn’t,” Poppy called back as they trotted through the heat under the shade of a twisted dry tree on the constant pace of their mounts. “At least the camels are a little faster than walking,” she reminded with a positive smile as she petted the purple locks of hair of her camel head named Grape. The camel let out a happy sound and shook its head and then its body, making the orange and pink striped fur of its body fly and Poppy laugh as it tickled her.

“Not fast enough to get out of this desert,” Satin and Chenille complained under their fashionable desert hats they had whipped up for everyone.

“Only six more days!” Poppy reminded excitedly making the others groan. She however was beaming with an upbeat energy and she could feel they were getting closer!

Two days later they were now standing before the towering canyon walls of the Bonefalcon Canyon early in the morning, the sky just a tiny strip far up high between the clay stripped stone walls. It was the tenth day of their trip and they only had four more days to endure.

Poppy swallowed and the Snack Pack gulped with her as they stood at the entrance.

“I don’t like this…” Cooper muttered nervously.

Poppy steeled herself, her face determined and brave as she looked down the harrowing pathway.

“We have to be careful,” she whispered turning back to look at her friends, she couldn’t believe what she was about to say. “That means no singing, and no humming, no whistling, or toe-tapping. We have to be _quiet,_ ” she whispered with a shushing sound past a raised finger to her mouth.

The stares of shock she received had her staring back equally surprised before she giggled. She knew she had been quoting Branch the moment she opened her mouth, but her warning was serious.

“Branch has definitely rubbed off on you,” Suki muttered with a teasing voice.

“Just like she’s rubbed off on him,” Guy chuckled.

“No singing?” Cooper muttered starting to make a nervous hum.

“Shh!” the Snack Pack shushed him making him jump in his carriage.

“Let’s go,” Poppy whispered snapping the reins of her troll camel. “We have to get out of the canyon as quickly as possible without letting the bonefalcons know we’re here.”

She ventured in first and her friends were quickly and close behind her. She soon found that a sense of dread mantled the valley pathway between the stony walls.

Flashes came to mind as she remembered fragments of Branch’s trip through here, a literal nightmare if not for the warriors with him.

Each quiet furry step of the troll camels seemed to echo off the walls, and they avoided every pebble in their path with a sense of paranoia. The Snack Pack could tell just how shaken and worried Poppy seemed to be, without Branch around she wasn’t the same happy go-lucky troll they had grown up knowing. Love really was a powerful and mysterious force.

The minutes seemed to tick by. An hour passed and the sun was spilling in through the ravine like terrain, dapples of sunlight made beams to the ground and split the shade.

Poppy held her spear nervously, her eyes constantly scanning the walls above them.

CLACK!

“Augh!” Biggie cried out and then THUD.

Poppy froze, yanking the reins of her steed and looked back with wide eyes. Biggie had fallen off his camel and right next to him were rocks. More stones were showering down as a giant talon tipped foot shifted and dust fell like a cloud from beneath it.

Poppy didn’t dare breathe as she looked up and high above a white skull-like face peered down at her with red burning eyes like brimstone. It opened its black beak and clacked it shut once.

Biggie quickly scrambled back on his camel and all of the Snack Pack were staring up as well.

“RUN!” Poppy yelled.

She snapped the reins and the camel started running with a cry. She heard the beating of feet behind her and then the screeching of dozens of birds, their wing beats made the wind convulse and crash into the earth and around them. The air pressure making the troll’s hair whip around like leaves in a storm and for a moment it felt hard to breathe.

“Poppy! They’re too fast!” Suki screamed as she raced with the others behind the queen.

Poppy looked back and her eyes stretched wide as she saw the angry birds, snapping beaks and clenching claws, five times larger at least than the one-eye birds.

“Keep running!” Poppy yelled.

Suddenly large bird-like insects shot over the backs of the midnight birds, arrows raining down. Shining, glinting in the air. Pained squawking followed with the crashing of bodies shaking the earth and making the camel’s run with a dizzying frenzy to not lose their balance. The canyon walls echoed and rumbled, more clouds of dust cascaded down and blotted out the sun.

The familiar buzzlbees were now flying overhead, at least a dozen before they split apart and began racing back towards them.

Oh no…Glade Trolls!

“Cooper, watch out!” Poppy yelled as one of the buzzlbee’s dived down and suddenly snatched him, his cart, and his camel up in its claw footed legs and raced back up into the sky with him.

“Ahhh!!!” he screamed out.

“Satin, Chenille! Smidge! Suki!” Poppy cried out, her heart racing as each of her friends were yanked up into the air too once after the other.

“Ahhh!”

“Oh my gah!”

Before long Poppy was the only one left on the ground and staring up mortified as a bird swooped in and its beak snapped shut just a hairbreadth away from her head making her yell, her spear swinging back and smacking the beak hard once. The bird was thrown off balance with an angry caw that split the air and straight into her ears, ringing with disharmony.

“Run, Grape! Run!” Poppy yelled, gritting her teeth and snapping the reins of the panting troll camel as she swung her spear forward again like a lance.

“Queen Poppy, we’ve come to help!”

“What?!” Poppy yelled looking back and her eyes went wide as all he saw was a fuzzy blue belly speeding towards her face. Then gravity suddenly vanished. Her body no longer bouncing up and down as her camel was lifted with her still in its saddle and she smacked straight into its neck with the momentum. “Ooph!

She hugged the beast’s neck hard as the canyon floor dwindles from sight. She looked back up, her heart racing and feeling like it might burst out of her chest.

Poppy saw a grinning face looking over the side of the buzzlbee’s head. It was a blue troll with blazing red hair flying behind him in the wind and a friendly face with a big purple nose. She recognized him! He was with the group that had taken Branch!

“No need to worry now, Queen Poppy! King Oak and Prince Branch send their hellos! You’re safe now!” he yelled down to her.

Poppy didn’t know if she should be relieved or worried as she let out a loud sigh as the bonefalcons quickly fell behind and she saw all her friends were safe. Her heart was still racing at a manic pace and making her flushed and more tired than she had ever felt before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corny Poem: Titled: Poppy. By yours truly, Branch.
> 
> *Special Note: If you want to know where this info is coming from like Poppy's family name being Rainbow and Moxie being her cousin along with a pair of trolls named Aria and Fallon, you can find it in the Troll's mobile game called Crazy Party Forest. I don't consider this information canon but it is useful and interesting to use for a story.


	18. Hard To Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Watch me strum your heartstrings to an evil chord... Enjoy!

* * *

 

Branch was currently at his desk, carefully cutting out a pattern of the tree in felt with a pair of scissors. He had a very serious and concentrating expression on his face with an occasional smile as he thought of who he was making it for. He was hard at work on his scrapbooking project holed up in his room.

The past two days since Princess Azalea’s arrival had been a nightmare for him. Despite his father having a word with the princess over breakfast she insisted she would still win the young prince over. Even when Branch argued rudely back to her over the table that it wasn’t going to happen, she insisted she’d change his mind. Not to mention this all happened with Thistle’s glare on Branch’s face. With that in mind Branch hadn’t been able to enjoy the visit from his relatives on his mother’s side that day or the announcements to the kingdom about the party and festivities they would soon have. Much to Branch’s surprised the trolls seemed happy but also…not very excited, as if a dank cloud hovered over them. He was sure his father realized this but was simply ignoring it.

The day before yesterday Branch had spent the entire day avoiding Azalea who would simply show up at the worst possible moments. Thistle was always soon behind her trying to give her another romantic favor which she rejected coldly each time which in turn resulted in an angry Thistle ready to lash out. And typically Branch was the end of whatever harsh words Thistle wanted to spit out. That day Branch had been exploring the library with Rose when the princess had shown up and then his brother… To say the library was no longer quiet and relaxing after that was an understatement and Branch’s and Rose’s mood had soured as Branch took a stack of books to go. He holed up in his room afterwards trying to read and write when the princess came knocking demanding he attend a date with her. Rose somehow, guarding his door, had convinced the princess to leave.

Yesterday had been no better. The only highlight of his day had been a sparring lesson with his father, a bonding moment he had not been expecting. Although Azalea and Thistle also attended and watched the sparring, and the black expression Thistle had was nothing short of frightening.

King Oak was still quick with a blade but age had slowed him down. So for the first part of the match it actually looked like Branch might win before his father did an agile roll and trick with his hair and knocked Branch off his feet.

King Oak had been ever so pleased to see Branch’s growing talent and laughed heartily after the fight and pulled Branch up to his feet. He took over the training session much to Branch’s delight and by the third rematch Branch had finally beaten the old warrior by using tricks of his own with his hair and sword disarming his father and knocking him down with both swords now in his control. His father had been jolly with the defeat, patting Branch hard and proudly on the shoulder while giving him praise. Branch had smiled back, forgetting their company completely and just enjoying the bonding with his father.

Today, Branch was locked himself up in his room again, seeking solitude and working on a gift for Poppy for when she arrived which should be any day now if his math was right. Plus he had a dream of her last night getting close to the canyon at the end of the desert which made him greatly nervous. He hoped the scouts found her quickly or she managed to get through the canyon safely…but his skin was itching just at the thought of the danger she would face there.

He was also avoiding Azalea and Thistle like the plague. It seemed like more than five days that he had been at the Mother Troll Tree. His birthday was next week.

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day he heard a page flip somewhere behind him and a dismal sigh.

“Alright! That’s enough,” he suddenly spoke loudly as he slapped the scissors on the desk and turned around his seat to face Rose who was sitting in a chair next to his door. “You’ve been sighing for two days,” he complained concerned. “Tell me what’s wrong already,” he demanded, although he was sure he could guess.

Rose looked up surprise from her book. Her dark rose colored hair was not as neatly comb as usual, ever since they arrived back at the Mother Troll Tree she and the other trolls started to take care of their appearance again. Just like her name and the color of her hair, her hair actual swirled up in segments to look like the closed petals of a rose and the bangs on the right side of her face looked like a single gracefully fallen petal. In the past two days since Princess Azalea’s arrival it had been obvious Rose stopped caring about a number of things including herself. She was sulking.

“It’s nothing, Branch,” she replied unconvincingly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was sighing. I’ll be quiet from now on,” she promised looking back down at her book.

“No,” Branch replied annoyed. “I’m your friend, right?” he demanded, repeating her very same question the day they had arrived at the Glade Kingdom. “Tell me what’s wrong,” he insisted, his voice softened in tone and expressed his worry just like his frown.

Rose looked back up and started at him for what seemed like a long while with her green eyes before she abruptly snapped the book shut.

“You really want to talk about this?” she asked skeptically and sourly. “You really want to hear me complain about boys and my love life?”

Branch gulped and knew immediately he was not qualified in the least to help, it was an uncomfortable situation. Rose smirked smugly as she saw his expression. Branch sighed.

“Look,” Branch started off with a deep breath. “I’m sure I’m not the best to talk about this subject but you’re wilting, literally!” he gestured to her with frustration. “I can see your colors desaturating more each day! If you think I’m going to sit back and watch you turn grey then you have another thing coming,” he grumbled leaning forward from his seat as he scowled at her.

Rose stared surprised for a long moment, then blinked and sighed as she let her emotions display on her face.

“It’s just not easy, Branch,” she confessed. “Watching Thistle behave the way he is with Azalea and then watching him get mad when she tells him no each time...”

Branch frowned sympathetically. “I can relate,” he admitted.

Rose looked up at him surprised.

“For years now I watched a certain troll get close to Poppy, his name was Creek,” Branch admitted looking away for a moment. “I never bought his ‘one with the universe and inner peace’ attitude, he was just a selfish guy that always managed to turn the spotlight on himself no matter the situation,” he pointed out. “But no one seemed to mind or even notice except me. And when I saw Poppy started to grow feelings for him…” his fists balled up again the chair arms before they relaxed with a heavy sigh on his part. “It’s like you said, it wasn’t easy to watch.”

Rose was frowning, looking at him thoughtfully.

“What did you do?” she asked softly.

“I tried to ignore it. I tried to move on,” he answered grimly. “That wasn’t easy either. It was like trying not to breathe and ignore gravity at the same time which is impossible. I was managing…when everything changed and Poppy asked me to help her save her friends. I started just gravitating towards her again without wanting to and opening up…even though I knew it would hurt me more in the end when she got Creek back…” he frowned but he didn’t feel the slightest regret. “Then he broke her spirit when he betrayed us and I could no longer just stand back and watch from the sidelines. So I took the risk and told her how I felt,” he smiled looking back up at Rose. “I haven’t looked back since.”

Rose was staring with an expression that was a mixture of awe and admiration with other emotions he couldn’t identify swirling in her eyes. She finally smiled but it seemed a bit bitter.

“She’s very lucky to have you Branch and it sounds like you are very lucky to have her.”

Branch smiled just a little and nodded. “The luckiest,” he admitted sheepishly. His smile vanished and he looked back up with concern. “Have you told Thistle? How you feel?”

Rose let out a sharp laugh and threw herself back into her chair. “The thing is Branch, I’m sure he’s _known_ for a long while how I feel. He’s dangerously perceptive and sharp, he always has been. If that doesn’t convince you, after you stormed off that morning, I chewed him out for something he said and I ended up confessing,” she said bitingly, a pained expression crossing her face. “He didn’t react really, or reply to it. Like I said, he already knew.”

Branch grimaced and he was a bit surprised to hear she had scolded Thistle. He could only imagine how it felt to have one’s feelings rejected. He had been afraid of the very same thing if he had ever confessed to Poppy.

He wasn’t sure what to say and the uncomfortable expression returned.

“I can’t make Thistle love me back,” she said dourly. “And I don’t want to, but I do want him to be happy even if I’m miserable watching him do it,” she admitted with a forlorn frown.

Branch frowned back and nodded, understanding how she felt more than he would like to admit. He had come to the same conclusion before about Poppy if she ended up with Creek.

“It doesn’t mean you can’t find someone else that makes you happy,” he offered hopefully.

Now her laugh came out with derision, loud and sarcastic. “Ha! The funny thing is there is another I like but he’s also not available,” she snorted at her bad fortune and turned to stare at Branch for a moment.

He frowned deeply, missing the significant gleam in her eyes. “Sounds like you have a lot of bad luck, Rose…or bad taste in trolls,” he chuckled as he thought of Thistle.

Rose snickered in agreement thinking male trolls were nothing short of dense as the hint went over Branch’s head. But that was alright. She had no intention or desire to complicate their friendship and she smiled feeling better.

“Yeah, I sure do,” she chuckled wistfully. “Thank you, Branch.”

He looked at her confused and she smiled back.

“It really did help talking about it, I feel a little lighter now. So, thank you,” she smiled genuinely for the first time in days.

Branch smiled back relieved and nodded. “I’m glad I could help. I’m sure you would have done the same for me.”

She smiled and nodded but said nothing more as she opened her book back up, her colors looked a little brighter again.

“You know, you don’t have to stay here, you must be bored…” Branch said with worry.

“No, I’m on guard duty,” she smirked. “Who’s going to protect you if the princess comes knocking, hm?”

Branch groaned and had to admit she had a point.

A quiet knocking came from the door and Branch’s eyes widened with dread.

Rose looked up surprised. “Well…speak of the princess and she shall appear,” she muttered standing up and putting her book down. “I’ll get rid of her,” she promised and Branch gave her a relieved and thankful smile.

Rose opened the door partially and Branch could not see who it was but by the look on Rose’s surprised face it wasn’t the princess.

“What are you doing in here?” asked a gruff and familiar voice.

Branch stiffened and stood up. What was Thistle doing here? If his father wanted him he would have sent a guard with a message.

“Branch doesn’t like me standing outside to guard,” Rose explained with a tense tone.

“I see…” Thistle replied as Branch made it to the door. Rose looked at him and opened it wider but she didn’t move from his side. Thistle looked at him with a neutral gaze. “Branch,” he greeted with a sharp nod.

“Thistle,” Branch acknowledged with a slight nod of his head.

“Can I come in?”

Branch straightened up stiffly and glared at Thistle suspiciously. “Why…?”

Thistle sighed annoyed, rolled his eyes and gave Branch a bored look. “Look, for once I’m not here to fight with you.” Rose and Branch exchanged a shocked glance before looking at the purple troll again. “I’m here with a proposition,” he admitted with a hard voice and looking at Rose directly. “I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day…” he gritted his teeth and turned an unhappy stare at Branch. “Will you just let me in so I can explain?”

Branch exchanged one last glance with Rose and she shrugged. Branch stepped aside and Thistle seemed relieved as he stepped into his room and the door was shut behind him.

“Alright…” Branch said tensely as he looked at Thistle. “You’re in here, what do you want?”

Thistle glanced around the room for a moment before turning around to face Branch.

“Teach me how to sing.”

“What!?”

Branch couldn’t believe what he was hearing and by Rose’s shocked face she looked like she might faint and Branch knew he hadn’t heard wrong.

Thistle groaned impatiently, pinching his brow for a minute between his fingers to compose himself. He finally looked up with a serious frown.

“Look you don’t like Azalea, you don’t want her. Right?”

“Right…?” Branch grimaced while still reeling from the shock.

“Then teach me how to sing better,” Thistle insisted as he shifted his armor absently as he spoke. “She said she likes singing and that her husband has to be able to sing. If you can help me get better we’ll both get what we want,” he continued sounding less strained but still awkward as he finished his proposal. He looked up at Branch seriously. “She’ll get out of your hair and leave you alone.”

Branch was speechless and he turned to look at Rose stiffly. She finally seemed to notice a moment later and blinked, staring at Branch with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry…I need to go sit down for a moment,” she pointed to her seat and walked over with almost robotic steps.

Thistle huffed crossing his arms and looking upset. “You two don’t need to be so dramatic. I’m not completely unreasonable.”

“Thistle, if you were any more unreasonable you’d be a rock,” Branch pointed out a little harshly.

Thistle rolled his eyes with stubborn indignation. “Look, I’m…asking for your help,” he finally grumbled. “We don’t have to like each other to help each other. That’s what brothers do, right?”

Now Branch was glowering. “I wouldn’t know, you haven’t exactly acted like a brother since the moment we met,” he reminded accusingly.

Thistle’s face pinched up and looked away. “Look…I’m sorry about that. Finding you hasn’t exactly been what I was expecting, alright? It hasn’t been easy for me,” he admitted tiredly as he looked back. “Just…help me with this one thing and I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll even try acting nicer,” he growled crossly, like it hurt his pride to say it.

Branch stared for a moment, shocked and thoughtful. He finally sighed as he heard a little voice telling him he should give Thistle a second chance if he was making an effort that clearly even hurt him. Sometimes you just have to believe there is good in everyone, right? That’s what Poppy had helped him realize.

“Okay, fine,” Branch growled back. “But you can’t insult me anymore, or mother, or grandma, or anyone for that matter. What you did during the trip was over the line. That is something brothers don’t do to each other, that trolls shouldn’t do to each other to begin with,” he hissed glaring at Thistle.

Thistle stiffened up, seeming almost surprised Branch had agreed. He seemed to relax, the tension leaving his stiff body as he looked at Branch with an almost calmer look.

Thistle finally nodded. “I’ll…try,” he relented sounding uncertain. But the shakiness in his voice reassured Branch that he meant it. “You’ll…really help me?” he asked astonished.

Branch stared at his brother confused. “Of course I will, I just said that. It’s what family does for each other. Why would you ask me if you didn’t think I would say yes?”

Thistle frowned deeply looking a bit conflicted. “Truthfully, I thought you would say no. Are you…sure you are not saying yes because it’s just convenient for you?” he asked and Branch detected vulnerability in Thistle’s voice, cynicism.

Branch sighed frustrated, feeling sorry for his brother. “Believe me Thistle, this is in _no way_ convenient for me. Azalea can be annoying all she wants it won’t make a difference, but…like I said, you’re family,” he said looking at Rose who was staring at them both with surprised delight and a bright smile. “And family should want each other to be happy.”

Rose grinned wider and nodded encouragingly at him.

Thistle was staring thoughtfully at Branch, he finally spoke. “You know, at first I thought you were just foolish like the trolls you grew up with, but now I realize you’re just strange,” he admitted.

Branch snorted amused and rolled his eyes. “Insults Thistle, insults,” he reminded.

Thistle looked genuinely confused. “That wasn’t an insult, it was a compliment.”

“Ugh,” Branch groaned face-palming himself as Rose giggled in the background. “You’re worse than Rose. Just go get an instrument you can play and let’s go before I regret this!”

Thistle thought he wasn’t being serious about the instrument but after some arguing he yielded and left to go get an instrument. They agreed to meet him outside on the northern side of the tree facing the lake.

Branch being cautious put on his armor and went to pick up a sword in the armory with Rose. They exited the tree palace from the training floor and walked towards the northern end of the tree, walking the stone pathways that ran along giant roots that made arches over the paths and over stones as they weaved into the lake below the hill the tree sat upon. As they arrived they heard the sounds of strings being tuned in the open garden under an outcrop of giant tree roots.

Thistle was there, sitting on an ancient stone bench tuning a dark red guitar with white rosette pattern around the sound hole. He seemed focused, he wasn’t wearing his helmet or cloak and his sword leaned close by against a moss-covered stone.

Branch looked up to the towering Mother Tree and realized he had never been to the very top of the tree where it was said the legendary sword was cleaved into the ancient wood. It was forbidden and off limits except by special permission by the king. The farthest up Branch had gone was through the hallways inside the branches to platforms leading to the pods that served different purposes and the bridges that hung over the lake towards the cliffs.

From here in the garden they had an entire view of the lake and Branch could see the farm fields clearly for the first time on the eastern edges of the lake shaded by the glade’s cliffs.

“Hey,” Thistle said looking up as Rose and Branch approached.

“Hey,” Branch repeated uncomfortably.

“About time you got here. I’m just about done tuning,” Thistle muttered looking at Branch’s armor and sword sheathed at his hip. He looked back down at the guitar turning a peg. “I haven’t touched one of these in years,” he admitted uncomfortably as he plucked the string.

Branch was surprised that his brother was making small talk. Branch’s ears perked up and listened carefully as Thistle strummed the strings.

“Sounds tuned,” Branch said. This was weird, he wasn’t sure he was the best to give singing lessons and to Thistle? He wished Poppy was here, she would do a far better job and hoped she did get here soon. “Where is Carter?” Branch asked awkwardly looking around.

This place was quiet, peaceful.

“I gave him the day off,” Thistle said simply and looking up. “Why? Do I need a guard around you?” he asked sharply and his gaze shot to Branch’s sword.

Branch frowned displeased. “No, I was just wondering.”

Thistle frowned for a moment as if he was deciding if he believed him or not, after a moment it seemed like he decided he did.

“You can give Rose the day off,” Thistle mentioned. “Not like we can’t protect each other. Besides this place is safe,” Thistle said offhandedly.

Branch was surprised by the show of faith. Thistle actually saw him worthy enough to watch his back? He wasn’t sure what to think about that, but he supposed he was a bit flattered.

“Um…” Branch muttered glancing at Rose. How could he say she made this situation less awkward for him? She smiled at him, quickly deducing what he felt.

“I don’t want the day off. I’ll stay here and help if I can,” she smiled.

“If that’s what you want,” Thistle snorted and looked back up at Branch. “Well, are we going to start or not?” he asked roughly.

Branch didn’t know what to do with himself but he was relieved Rose offered to stay. He sat down next to Thistle but kept a good amount of space between them and asked him to start playing.

Thistle stumbled at first, messing up several times and the frustration was obvious on his face. Branch told him to breathe and tried not to patronize him, he knew Thistle got agitated a little too easily. And this topic was obviously sensitive for his brother. Half an hour later Thistle was still playing rather horribly…like he wasn’t letting his fingers relax and the music come from inside.

“When was the last time you play an instrument?” Branch suddenly asked.

Thistle sighed agitated suddenly strumming the strings hard and making the cords screech out an ugly sound that made Branch wince. Thistle took a deep breath, stopped and looked out over the lake.

“When Mother still lived here,” he admitted. “We used to come right here and she would sing while I played for her and grandma… After King Bramble died, Grandma Rosiepuff moved into the palace here with Mother before I was even born.”

Branch looked out over the lake sucking in a sharp breath and looking around the garden once more. It obviously had not been well taken care of in years. Moss grew everywhere along with vines, flowers and bushes were overgrown. The fountain near the center of the cracked stone pathways was broken and dry.

“What…was mother like?” Branch asked with sad curiosity, frowning and looking at Thistle. “What did you used to play for her? We could start there…”

Thistle let out a long breath and his face for once did not look angry but sad and lost in memory, Branch hadn’t expected him to actually answer.

“She was very kind, warm and gentle,” he finally breathed, speaking like no one was there listening as he let his guard down just a little. “She and Grandmother Rosiepuff always made time to have a picnic here almost every day and they always brought me along. We used to sing together right here,” he said touching the stone bench they sat on and looking to a patch of soft grass nearby as if he could still picture it. “I wasn’t very good,” he chuckled to himself. “Singing that is, I was actually good playing though and Rosiepuff used to help me practice my vocals with mother. They used to love it, we all did…this place was full of laughter, once…”

Branch’s breath caught, hitching as he thought back on his own memories. Their situation was keenly alike, for both of them music had become a source of pain and loss.

Branch smiled faintly, understanding Thistle a little better. “Grandma used to do the same for me. She would help me learn to sing and…we would go out and have picnics out on the highest branches of the Troll Tree.”

Thistle snorted lightly. “That sounds about right… You know, she used to sing a wonderful lullaby with mother…whenever I got discouraged,” Thistle frowned, trying to recall. “I can’t remember how it quite goes.”

Branch smiled leaning back and looking up at the roots above their heads that shaded them. “ _You with the sad eyes…don’t be discouraged_ …” he started to sing softly.

“That’s it!” Thistle looked over shocked, his eyes wide. “That was the one, about true colors.”

Branch nodded with a faint smile. “I figured. She used to sing it to me too.”

Thistle smiled, just faintly. “Mother would sing it with her and say she grew up listening to it. And mother…had a voice like…something that came from heaven. Grandma would say it was the voice of an angel’s and I just had to find mine.”

Branch’s smile grew a little sad, that sounded like grandma, alright.

“Why don’t you try singing that?” Branch asked. “Music comes from deep inside. You…have to feel it,” he explained. “And the best place to start are with your feelings, a song is your emotions given voice.”

Thistle frowned at him, uncertain as he looked down at his guitar.

“I’ll sing with you, you’ll get the hang of it,” Branch promised trying to sound positive. “Just start playing and don’t be self-conscious, just let yourself feel. Don’t worry about how you sound and it will come to you,” he encouraged.

Thistle frowned thoughtfully and gave him a mute nod, looking back down at the guitar. He started to pluck the strings and at first he failed to get the melody until Branch started to hum to help him, and for once Thistle didn’t seem to mind the help. He started to play and it was just natural as he found his rhythm and the cords began to fall into place.

Branch started singing first and as Thistle gained courage as each note rang in harmony with the song and Branch’s voice he finally seemed to breathe. Branch was surprised as a low and melodious deep voice came from Thistle’s mouth, quiet at first and gaining strength.

Then he choked halfway through the first verse and slapped his hand against the strings.

“Stop,” he growled out, his voice sounding hoarse.

Branch fell silent, staring tensely and concerned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked carefully.

“It hurts too much,” Thistle admitted letting out a pained breath of air. “I…I can’t sing that right now,” he said and his shoulders were shaking as he closed his eyes tight.

Branch was frozen and he wasn’t sure what to do. But it was more than obvious that Thistle was in pain and Branch…knew what that was like. Hesitantly, Branch’s hand landed on Thistle’s plated shoulder and squeezed making the older troll freeze and turn to stare.

“It’s alright,” Branch reassured, understanding echoing in his voice. “You don’t have to sing it right now, but you should let it out eventually when the time is right or you’ll turn grey, Thistle,” he explained actually concerned much to his surprise. “We can practice with something else right now.”

Thistle was staring at him with wide eyes and he seemed conflicted. Finally, he shrugged his shoulder and Branch let go as his brother looked ahead.

“Thanks…Branch.”

Branch stared surprised, it was the first time his brother had said his name without condescension and he actually…sounded grateful. Branch smiled a little, happy with the sign. Maybe, just maybe they could be brothers after all.

Thistle looked back and he had a strange smirk on his face. “You know, when I was small I was actually excited when Mom told me I was going to have a baby brother or sister. I was looking forward to have someone to play and sing with and shove into the dirt. Never thought my brother would end up such a softie though,” he laughed giving Branch a hard shove on the shoulder.

Branch grinned dangerously, surprised yet happy with the contact. “Oh, yeah? Well, I never wanted a brother,” he taunted back playfully and returned the shove. “Especially not a jerk like you!”

Thistle laughed and turned back to the guitar. “Watch it Branch or I’ll challenge you to a spar right here, right now, and definitely shove your face in the mud.”

“I think you’re going to have a harder time this time around,” Branch scoffed.

“Oh, yeah? I’d still win though,” Thistle said more than confidently.

“Maybe,” Branch admitted rather amused.

He looked back and suddenly stiffened as he saw Rose staring at them with big watery eyes. Okay, this was definitely awkward now.

Branch turned back and coughed, clearing his throat. “Let’s continue.”

Thistle smirked and looked strangely positive. “You know what, I’m actually feeling pretty good right now. I think I’ll go find Azalea, ask her to come here and…”

“Oh, Branch! Where are you? I know you’re out here, don’t make a lady yell calling for you!” came a voice somewhere high above them.

“Oh, gah,” Branch groaned, his hands already clawing over his eyes and down his cheeks.

“No, this is good!” Rose suddenly cut in, coming up and grinning in front of the two bewildered trolls that stared at her. “Why don’t you start playing and I’ll go get her? If you sing loud enough she’ll definitely hear you, Branch can go hide.” She was beaming as she stared at the two brothers, her colors were bright again.

“Hmm…” Thistle contemplated seriously then smirked. “Actually, would you mind getting her, Branch? And Rose stays here?” he asked looking at him. “Make sure to be extra rude as usual, just bring her here.”

Branch stared surprised then let out a gruff sound of displeasure and sarcasm. “Way ahead of you, maybe if I burp or something she’ll finally get disgusted with me,” he grumbled standing up.

“Farting might work better,” Rose pointed out with a mutter.

Branch shot her a reproachful glare and she smiled with a shrug. Branch rolled his eyes and smiled then looked at Thistle. “Remember, sing from the heart!” he called and he ran off.

Thistle nodded seriously and looked back down at the guitar. Rose started to move away.

“Wait.”

She froze, turning her eyes on Thistle.

“Don’t move, please,” he asked and it wasn’t an order much to her surprise and she relaxed, curious.

“Alright,” she agreed.

He gave her a faint smile and she felt the blood rush to her face. Did…Thistle really just smile at her?

Thistle let out a sigh and started plucking the cords. Rose watched intently, wondering what song he was going to try and play. He seemed to struggle a first, nervous and playing random strings.

Rose smiled, wishing him to succeed. “Sing from the heart,” she reminded gently, smiling at him encouragingly.

He looked up and their eyes connecting and he seemed to relax and smiled back.

The strumming of the strings finally gained rhythm and contingency, a song forming in the air in a repetitive pattern that first started off with a somewhat mournful tune before the tempo picked up. His voice came and the eye contact did not break.

 _I am insensitive, I have a tendency_  
_To pay more attention to the things that I need._  
_Sometimes I drink too much, sometimes I test your trust,_  
_Sometimes I don't know why you stay with me._

Rose’s eyes were stretched wide…wait…was Thistle…singing to her?

  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love,_  
_No, I don't make it easy,_  
_I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood._  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love,_  
_You say that you need me,_  
_I don't deserve it but I love that you love me, good._

 

Thistle took a breath, strumming the strings with new energy. Rose was frozen, her hands over her mouth as she watched. He was! He was singing and he was singing to her!

  
_I am a short fuse, I am a wrecking ball_  
_Crashing into your heart like I do_  
_You're like a Sunday morning, full of grace and full of light_  
_I wish that I could be more like you._  
  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love,_  
_No, I don't make it easy,_  
_I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood,_  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love,_  
_You say that you need me,_  
_I don't deserve it but I love that you love me, good._  
_Love me, good._  
  
_Girl, you've given me a million second chances_  
_And I don't ever wanna take you for granted,_  
_I'm just a man, I'm just a man_

 

Tears were welling up in Rose’s eyes, a soft smile on her face as he continued so naturally. His voice was rich and beautiful, more so than she had expected from his usual husky voice.

  
_Hard to love, hard to love,_  
_Oh, I don't make it easy_  
_And I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood._  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love_  
_And you say that you need me,_  
_I don't deserve it but I love that you love me, good,_

  
_Hard to love, hard to love,_  
_Oh, I don't make it easy_  
_I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood._  
_I'm hard to love, hard to love_  
_And you say that you need me,_  
_I don't deserve it but I love that you love me, good,_  
_You love me, good._  
  
_You love me, good.*  
_

He played a few more strings, his foot tapping and neither of them noticed the two trolls who had stopped to listen on the ridge overlooking the garden.

The last few notes rung out as Thistle stopped playing while still staring at Rose who sniffled once and rubbed her eyes dry.

“That was beautiful, Crown Prince Thistle. Princess Azalea will love it,” she guaranteed, beaming.

“Thistle.”

Rose grew rigid and stared wide-eyed and bewildered at her commander and prince.

“Call me, Thistle,” he insisted softly. “If you can call my brother, Branch, then I want you to call me by my name too.”

Rose’s breath caught and she stared down at him, unsure. She finally smiled and slowly shook her head.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked with a discontent frown, looking puzzled and startled.

Rose smiled wistfully, sadly. “Because it hurts too much,” she explained. “Just like why you call your parents so formally, it hurts too much to do otherwise, doesn’t it?” she whispered looking into his blue eyes, they weren’t icy and hard today but clear like the sky and the lake.

Thistle’s face lost some of its composure, his expression somber. “I see…I…understand,” he said looking troubled. He stood up, putting the guitar down and his eyes looked a little more hopeful. “How about just Prince Thistle then?” he asked quietly.

Rose smiled softly and thought about it for a moment and he was just one step away. They never had stood this close before for this long when it wasn’t a battle. She nodded once.

“I think I can manage that.”

He smiled relieved and she couldn’t remember the last time she had seen him smile so much in one day. It felt like never. But then he frowned and there was agitation in his expression again.

“Can you…call Branch, Prince Branch then?” he asked a little enviously.

Rose giggled, trying to stop the sound with her hand. “Don’t be childish, Prince Thistle. You know I can’t do that, he’s my prince and I have to do what he asks of me.”

Thistle frowned. “But I was your prince first,” he complained. He actually almost looked like he was pouting!

Rose stopped laughing and she was blushing but still smiling. “You are,” she admitted. “It’s not much longer though, soon I’ll just be your lieutenant again.”

Thistle nodded, looking relieved but also not entirely happy.

“I’m…sorry, again,” he stated with a sigh. “For everything, and thank you…you were right. It wasn’t so bad getting along with Branch.”

“I told you,” she grinned. “I’m very happy for you both.”

Thistle nodded, but he still looked distressed. “Rose, I…” he hesitated and she started surprised, his cheeks were dark, he was…blushing? He looked uncomfortable. His face suddenly was stern again, the color paling from his cheeks. “I’m sorry I didn’t value you more, that I made you feel that way,” he said seriously. “Because I do, I do value you. More than I value and rely on anyone else.”

Rose blinked and smiled forgivingly, blushing as her heart raced with the words. “It’s alright, Prince Thistle. Thank you. Can—can I ask you just one thing?”

Thistle nodded.

“How…” she sighed in frustration as her nerves got in the way, she was blushing a darker red. “How long did you know about my feelings?”

“Since _that_ battle,” he said simply, his hand coming up to touch his scarred shoulder. “When you stayed with me all night and I remember…hearing you crying and asking me to come back. That you loved me,” he frowned looking at her with swirling emotion in his eyes.

Rose blushed harder, looking shocked. That was years ago! “You—you were awake?”

He smirked, partially amused. “Not really, but I could hear you. I heard everything you told me and…I never thanked you for it,” he said conflicted, regretful. “I didn’t know how…to thank you, what to even say. How I even felt after that battle was an entire mess for me,” he admitted trailing off still looking as he was conflicted over the matter to this day. “And it was hard to see someone as strong as you almost crumble. I suppose…I was afraid to face that reality and that I was partially to blame for it. Which is why I’ve pretended otherwise all these years and I didn’t acknowledge you beyond your station, why I didn’t even admit to myself that you were my friend too, not just my Lieutenant...”

Rose’s face got even hotter and she glanced away.

“I’m sorry I can’t return your feelings…” he continued.

“Oh no…” Rose muttered with wide shocked eyes, hardly hearing him.

Thistle turned to stare at what she was looking at and balked.

Branch was pressed up against one of the root archways, frozen and his dark blue coif bristling, and Azalea’s entire body was pressed up into him. Her lips locked with his as Branch was plastered against the tree root in shock and wide eyes, trying to shove her away but from where Thistle stood it looked like he was holding the princess’s arms fast to himself.

Thistle’s snapped, anger rushing through him at the sight and his skin color even seemed to darken. He suddenly had his sword in his hand and it shot through the air as he threw it.

“YOU LIAR!” he screamed, black with rage and rushing forward after tossing his weapon towards his brother’s head.

“Branch! Watch out!” Rose screamed, already rushing after the flung blade and Thistle.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Song: Hard To Love by Lee Brice with slightly modified lyrics.
> 
> Wait, what?! There's still hope for the Thistle/Rose ship?! No! What utter nonsense, that can't be right! Mwahaha! And things seemed to be going so well, tsk tsk.


	19. Black and Cold as Coal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry my wonderful readers, for ruining Thistle and Rose's moment last chapter but it was for a worthy cause. Also sorry again but your Broppy reunion won't be happening as quickly or as easily as you might think! If you thought for one moment I was going to reunite them peacefully then either you are eternally optimistic like Poppy or were praying I'd stop being evil after reading the summary of this story! Unfortunately, I am evil, all writers are! ... Okay I'm not that evil, you will have your Broppy reunion in 3 or 4 chapters, I promise~ That is your only spoiler and kindness I am giving you, because if you thought the last chapter was bad you haven't seen anything yet!
> 
> Good news though! The story is almost over which means an end to all your suffering at the hands of this story! I say *almost* knowing there is still about 8 or so chapters left not including the epilogue.
> 
> Thank you to Sandra Novales for your beautiful bribe! Consider it accepted! Check out more amazing fanart! I'm melting! :'D Are you guys SURE you're not the ones trying to kill me with so much wonderfulness on your part?  
> https://crazydaydreamerz.tumblr.com/post/158677107621
> 
> Also a drawing of mine if you want to see Branch in regular guard armor: http://dragonnmr.tumblr.com/post/158682711855/branch-in-armor-from-dreamworks-animation-movie

* * *

 

Branch was over the ridge of the pathway leading to the roots above in moments.  He let out a pant and smiled as he walked into a shaft of sunshine that pierced the leaves of the rustling canopy above. The breeze was gentle and inviting and overall everything about today was feeling good after the unexpected good time he had just experienced with his brother.

He wished it actually lasted longer but the moment he saw the Princess Azalea with her two guards Branch felt his good mood whisk itself away. She was strolling on an old pathway that led up to an entrance of the palace.

She caught sight of him and smile looking pleased, even smug.

Branch tried to smile back but failed. So far, Princess Azalea had proven to be nothing more than an entitled, spoiled, and downright pushy troll in Branch’s eyes. He was grateful Poppy was nothing like that, in fact he appreciated her qualities even more after meeting Azalea.

He let out a dreary sigh and told himself just to get it over with. He was keenly listening for when Thistle would start playing as he walked up the pathway she was coming down to meet him.

“Branch,” she greeted with a complacent smile. “Finally, you come to me willingly. Are my charms finally becoming obvious to you?”

 _As if._ Branch scowled mentally to himself and he honestly tried to smile but he ended up grunting sarcastically and rolling his eyes. He realized he was never going to be anything more than candid and trying otherwise was a weak effort on his part, he had been blunt most of his life after all.

Azalea chuckled.

“So honest,” she stated entertained as if she had read his mind. “Why did you come to me willingly today, Branch?” she asked with shrewd curiosity as she took a step closer to him with her guards shadowing her.

“I wanted you to come and hear something,” he admitted gesturing down the pathway.

“Oh?” she sounded slightly interested. “Are you finally going to sing to me?” she asked quizzically stepping forward and holding her hand out flat.

Branch made a sour expression and looked at her as if asking if he had to do what she wanted. She frowned in a stern manner and raised an eyebrow, waiting.

He grunted with displeasure and extended out his arm with his fist clenched. She wrapped her arm around his without hesitation and positioned him by her side. Branch didn’t wait and started to walk, anything to end the skin contact sooner.

“No,” he finally replied bluntly. “But someone will be singing. You’ll see.”

“Hmm,” she murmured looking bored. “I hope this is a genuine effort on your part to apologize for your rudeness, Branch. I must say, you are certainly not a gentlemen when it comes to etiquette.”   

Branch felt his jaw clench and his teeth grind as he swallowed a smart comment on the princess’s own rudeness when it came to her clearly unwanted advances. But he reminded himself not to put her in a bad mood for Thistle’s sake when he started to sing.

“It’ll be worth it,” he promised past a growl.

She ignored him as they walked down the hill towards the garden. A voice started to rise in the silence, deep and powerful and the princess stiffened and paused.

“Who…is that?” she asked tilting her head to listen.

Branch smirked. Finally! She seemed interested.

“Come and I’ll show you,” he said eagerly and picking up the pace slightly.

They followed the path as the song got clearer and stronger and Branch was smiling proudly. Who knew! His brother actually was a great singer when he put his heart into it, he had the deep kind of voice that could make the heart melt and the ear listen intently.

As he listened to the lyrics he started to notice something particular and significant about the song and that left Branch wondering. Was Thistle really singing this song for Azalea? It certainly didn’t sound like it by the opening verses and the third verse following it sounded even less like it.

They finally came to the ridge overlooking the garden just under one of the root archways over the garden’s entrance and stopped.

Azalea stared truly surprised as she looked down into the garden and realized who was singing.

The fifth verse started and Branch grimaced as he watched the two trolls with locked gazes. No, Branch was certain he wasn’t imagining it now. Thistle was actually singing to Rose, this song was for no one else. No one but Rose could claim she had given Thistle a million second chances. There was real emotion in Thistle voice, a real connection in him for the song and to who he was singing it for.

Did this mean…?

“Amazing,” Azalea breathed.

Branch blinked startled, having forgotten who was standing right next to him and holding his arm. She broke his thoughts and he nodded, tearing his eyes away from the other two trolls and giving Azalea a tentative smile.

“He has a good voice, doesn’t he?” Branch confirmed.

He realized Azalea was frowning as she stared at them. She blinked and looked away, turning her light green eyes on Branch.

“He certainly does. But I understood that he didn’t sing. In fact, rumor has it that no one even among his own people has ever heard him sing,” she started giving Branch an inquiring stare.

Branch nodded, he could see that. “As far as I know, Thistle hasn’t sung or played music since he lost our mother when he was three years old,” he explained.

“That…is a very young age,” Azalea said observantly and quietly as Thistle’s song still carried on the breeze over the garden.

Branch nodded and finally was able to smile though it was a small one. “But he’s trying right now, for you. He asked me to help him,” he explained.

Azalea frowned troubled. In fact, it was the first time Branch had seen some kind of emotion on her face that wasn’t her usual formal mask.

“You are very kind, Branch. Do you two not hate each other?” she asked carefully.

Branch sighed, he guessed it hadn’t escaped anyone’s notice that he and Thistle didn’t exactly get along. He sure it wasn’t the best kind of gossip to be flying around. especially for the royal family.

“We’re…trying to get along, now,” he said cautiously, the slightest amount of hope in his voice.

She frowned and nodded once, her eyes were calculating once more.

“That is very selfless of you and romantic,” she smiled. “Helping someone who has caused you so much strife since you met him, even if he is your brother. Not everyone would be able to do the same.”

Branch stiffened and stared confused as a bad feeling came over him.

It was quiet again but he hadn’t noticed.

“What do you mean?” he finally asked.

Azalea let go of his arm and turned to face him.

“I mean exactly what I said. I didn’t need to hear gossip to see how strained your relationship is with him. I could see it on both your faces when you’re around each other.”

She took a step forward and Branch took a step back.

“Um…” Why was she getting so close?

“Like I said, it’s very noble of you. A good quality for a king, a king needs to be compassionate and merciful when the time calls for it,” she continued and took another step forward.

“Uh… He’s family,” Branch stuttered. “We may not get along. But I don’t want him to be miserable.”

She smiled and nodded. “Branch…” she whispered and her hands touched the steel of his breastplate.

Branch found his back suddenly pressed up against something hard and his skin felt like it was crawling with ice, an instinct telling him to duck and run.

“Why don’t you give me a chance?” she seemed to purr with a silky and persuasive voice, seductive and Branch was frozen staring with fear like a deer caught in a blinding light. “You are making such an effort for you brother and it is such a romantic quality in you that I appreciate,” she smiled. “Let me help convince you, I’m sure I can make you happy if you give me the chance. Do you really hate me that much?” she asked hurt, her face only inches away as she searched his eyes.

“Look, Azalea, I don’t hate you,” he explained, his voice gruff and unsteady with nerves. He started to sidestep, trying to get away from her. “I’m sure you’re nice but I can never like you like that. I already have a mate and she’s my—mmph!”

He was suddenly grabbed and lips were pressed hard into his own mouth, silencing him. The shock of the moment had him stiffen up like a rock as if thunder had shocked through him, making his skin crawl and his hair bristle on his head. Then the panic and disgust set in after a second delay and his hands grabbed the princess’s arms and shoved back but she pushed harder.

“LIAR!”

“Branch! Watch out!”

The princess froze up and Branch meeting no resistance shoved her off hard without any hesitation, gasping as his mouth was freed.

“Ah!” she cried as she fell back into the dirt and her guards rushed to her.

Branch just in time saw the blade flying towards his head and dodged as the metal thudded into the root archway only an inch from his nose. He stared at his own startled reflection in the steel and then looked back towards the source.

What was—?

“Ooph!

Dark turquoise jade hair hit him squarely in the chest and he went flying, his back hitting painfully into the wood before he tumbled and rolled into the dirt, the wind knocked out of him.

He let out a pained gasp, pushing himself up onto his knees and hands just as a sense of danger took over. A tingling sensation sparked the air over his left shoulder.

“Aurgh!” Thistle howled somewhere behind him.

The hissing of Branch’s blade sliced past the sheath and echoed out and Branch rolled just in time for the ringing of metal to hit metal. Sparks flew as Thistle yanked his blade out of the wood and swung it down with one stroke.

“You kissed her!” Thistle roared, shoving his blade down harder. Branch’s arms ached with the pressure and pushed back with his sword, both hands gripping the pommel.

“I didn’t kiss her!” Branch yelled back and he kicked out hard and hitting Thistle’s shin and making him grunt in surprise and keel over on one knee.

Branch scrambled away and pulled himself to his feet just as Thistle stood and rushed him again.

“Liar!”

“I’m not lying!” Branch snapped. Their swords clanged loudly and Branch parried the blow.

“I saw you kiss her!” he screamed suddenly slashing, dinging, dancing, ringing with screeching as they exchanged quick blows.

“I didn’t kiss her!” Branch yelled back losing his patience and he was suddenly on the offense, rushing his blade forward in frustration and landing his own blows. Thistle knocked and deflected each one as it came with a flurry of angry speed.

He attacked back, letting out a hoarse war cry past his teeth and each strike Branch managed to deflect each blow in turn. They seemed equally matched now.

They were completely focused on their battle and Thistle’s frustration grew even greater with each blow his brother managed to repel. Jade hair suddenly launched out and was met with an explosion of dark navy, grappling, yanking and tossing one another aside before metal followed.

Thistle was pushing and the two warriors began rushing and shifting up the path towards the tree, exchanging blows.

Jade hair whipped out once more and Brach slashed past it, a rain of green hair flying and scattering in the breeze. Then pain hit Branch’s right side with blunt force and he toppled over with a loud grunt, dropping his sword.

He looked up, blue eyes wide as he saw Thistle’s enraged expression and his blade cleaving down.

Suddenly another blade smacked into the sword and with a shove tossed the blade into the air.

“Rose!” Branch shouted astonished.

“Move! Get away!” she yelled not glancing back as Thistle launched another attack and she thrashed her blade against the sword. She was in front of him and each attack was a perfect counter to each of Thistle’s moves.

Branch shoved himself up, picking up his sword and watched with shock and awe as the two warriors fought with a skill that showed just how well they knew each other. They never landed an attack on the other till Thistle’s hair swung like a lasso and knocked Rose aside.

“Go!” she called yet again, rolling back to her feet some feet away.

Branch finally unfroze and heard Rose yell at him again and he turned and ran up the hill towards the tree palace.

“Get back here you liar!”

“Thistle, stop!” Rose cried out after him.

Branch didn’t look back and ran straight for the entrance of the first floor of the palace. He knew fighting wasn’t allowed inside the central chambers of the tree and he hoped that would get his brother to finally stop if not wear him out at least with the chase.

He could feel Thistle hot on his heels and the air tingled again as he sensed an attack headed his way. He leapt forward and rolled, only momentarily catching a glimpse of jade hair smacking against the ground where he had been a moment before.

He kept going and rushed through the door and straight into the first floor. Guards leaping started as the young prince ran in and past them. Hair suddenly hit his back and Branch gasped, falling forward and skidding across the floor, his sword falling form his grip and sliding across the ground some feet away.

“Aurgh!”

Branch rolled over seeing just in time Thistle leaping for him through the air with the blade ready to stab straight down.

With a gasp and his blood hammering in his ears Branch rolled out of the way as the sword slammed into the wood floor with a loud thud just inches away from his chest. The floor cracked sickeningly under the hit, the wood splitting.

Thistle turned his head, glaring and letting out a snarl as he readied to yank out his sword. Then black hair flew into their field of vision and slammed into Thistle’s face. Thistle was knocked clean off his feet with a loud grunt and into the floor some feet away from Branch.

“Enough!”

Branch froze as the familiar voice thundered in the room but with rage. He felt his heart miss a beat and his stomach churn at the sound of the anger, bringing him a sense of dread he had not expected. He was more afraid of it than the fight and anger he had just experienced from Thistle.

Branch looked up with a worried frown to see their father fuming from the stairs as his hair retracted and returned to its place.

“How dare both of you violate the sanctity of the Mother Troll Tree! Fighting and bringing weapons into one of her heart rooms!” he bellowed, thundering and slamming his fist against the carved wood rail of the stairs.

Just then Rose skidded into the room with her blade still unsheathed and Princess Azalea right behind her.

“You too, Lieutenant Rose?” King Oak demanded angrily of the red troll as he turned to stare at her.

Immediately Rose fell to one knee and sheathed her blade. “Forgive me, my King,” she implored pressing her hand over her chest in respect. “I only wished to stop the fighting between the two princes. I didn’t think before rushing in after them.”

King Oak grunted and looked over displeased as Branch and Thistle stood up. Both brothers looked shaken and out of breath as they breathed hard and didn’t dare look at each other as they looked up at the king.

“Explain what is going on,” he commanded. “Why are you two fighting, again?” he growled looking over his sons disappointed.

Branch grimaced and he was in shock, he didn’t know what to do. He felt like a child getting scolded and he was frozen. The experience was entirely unknown to him, he had been a good kid and Grandma Rosiepuff had never needed to scold him with such anger and disappointment. Thistle in comparison had a stubborn expression of indignation as he glared silently up at his father. Rose was tongue-tied, unable to get either of her princes in trouble.

Azalea broke the tension as she moved forward as her guards stood back with concerned expressions. She had a fiery and fierce look in her eyes as she marched up to Thistle who finally seemed to relax and stare at her confused.

What happened next had everyone gasping as Azalea’s hand struck across Thistle’s face. The sound of the slap seemed to echo in the silence that followed and on Thistle’s shocked face.

“How dare you throw a sword so close to my face,” she spat with calm rage, her anger boiling just under the surface as she glared with hard eyes. Thistle turned his face back to face her, still staring shocked as she continued to rant. “Dangerous! Immature! And above all, disrespectful! What if you had missed?” she demanded furiously.

Thistle glowered, his voice coming out harsh for once towards her. “I wasn’t going to hit you. As if I was going to miss, that would never happen,” he jeered sarcastically.

Azalea’s face furthered morphed with anger and Thistle flinched, finally seeming to react.

“You are absolutely infuriating and boorish, Crown Prince Thistle. Have you not even the courtesy to apologize for the fright you gave me? Your brother was kind enough to try and make you seem less loathsome and you attacked us!”

“He was kissing—”

“I kissed him!” she snapped infuriated, interrupting him. “He was in fact trying to rebuff my affections when you attacked him! You jealous brute,” she hissed crossly.

Thistle flinched, looking guilty for once and he glanced at Branch who gave him a sour look that said ‘I told you so’.

Thistle finally let out an angry groan, running his hand with frustration through his hair.

“I—I am sorry for how I behaved, Princess Azalea,” he muttered sounding jaded. “You are right, of course… I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he continued looking remorseful as he frowned at the princess.

“Thistle,” King Oak barked, commanding everyone’s attention. “Come at once to the throne room, _alone_ ,” he growled with a stern glare before turning his eyes on Branch. “Branch, Lieutenant Rose I expect you both to go return those weapons where they belong, immediately! You are dismissed,” he said cuttingly. “Princess Azalea, once again I apologize for my children’s behavior but I cannot condone the fact that you forced yourself on my youngest son after he clearly was refuting your advances. I expect you to rectify this behavior, you may be our guest but I will only tolerate so much. You have brought discord into my home and among my sons.”

“You are right, King Oak,” she sighed with a polite dip of her head. “I apologize deeply.”

“Apologize to Branch, it is him you caused trouble for this day,” King Oak snapped.

Azalea grimaced, standing stiffly and quietly.

His father’s harsh tone had Branch cringing and he wasn’t about to wait around for an apology. He picked up his sword and left with Rose without another word, both looking uncomfortable and rattled.

Princess Azalea after a moment of contemplation seemed to follow them out.

However, Thistle was not paying them much attention as he started up at his father who turned and began walking up the stairs. Tensely, Thistle followed and left the sword behind buried into the floor for someone else to attend to. He grimaced as he walked up the stairs and was suddenly aware of his own physical pain. Branch had actually managed to land a few blunt attacks and Thistle realized…his brother had intentionally kept his sword side-faced to actually not cut if he had hit his target. He was getting good and Thistle was surprised to realize…he actually felt a little proud for him.

Thistle huffed and knew he had to go apologize after he heard whatever his father had to tell him in private. He remembered the moment of jealous rage that had clouded his judgment, nothing like he had ever felt before.

It was not long that he and his father were in the throne room. A giant and round ornate room with statues carved into giant niches of the most famous kings and queens along the walls. Before their mighty figures holding their weapon of choice was large metal basins with delicate figures of tree branches and leaves and deep inside a fire smoldered. Between the niches was long green banners draped between the niches with the family’s crest stitched with golden embroidery. The Mother Troll Tree stylized with interlocking roots and branches reaching for the edges of the oval that encapsulated the entire symbol, a shining four pointed star at the top center between the branches: the sword of legend.

King Oak let out a tired sighed into the enormous round chamber that had and high arching curved ceiling. While warmth and firelight lit the edges of the room, high above the statues were arching windows. At the center of the dome roof was a giant cluster of glowing crystals surrounded by glowing mushrooms and other plants that added an organic glow to the heart of the room.

“Thistle…” King Oak started sounding weary and disappointed.  Thistle followed close behind till they crossed the room to the throne made of mighty twisting branches and roots that were evergreen with fresh spring leaves and formed the shape of a chair.

King Oak walked up the steps to the large natural chair that sat two trolls together side by side. He touched one of the natural arms of the chair and let out another sigh, turning back to stare at his son with a grim frown.

“Father…what is it?” Thistle finally managed to ask, staring nervously up at him.

“That…was the last straw, Thistle,” King Oak said quietly with a hard voice.

Thistle stiffened, looking on confused. “What…do you mean the last straw?”

King Oak closed his eyes letting out a loud breath of air past his purple-tinted grey nose. When he opened his eyes they were cold like steel.

“You are no longer the Crown Prince, Thistle. You will not succeed me as King.”

Thistle was petrified, shocked. What…?

“I did not want to do this, but you left me no choice,” King Oak grumbled tired and troubled as he turned to face his son from where he stood before the throne. “The Elders have been furious with you and I cannot say I have been very impressed with your behavior either, Thistle. The people fear you, they do not love you. How can I let such a violent soul that inspires dread in his own subjects be king after me?” he questioned and then his voice was roused by frustration. “Attacking them while drunk! Abusing your own guards! Fighting your brother out of pettiness! Putting a visiting princess in danger! Threatening and _injuring_ your brother’s mate, Queen Poppy!” he spat and Thistle stiffened opening his mouth to protest. “I got a firsthand account from the warriors that returned with you and there are _quite_ a few things you managed to neglect saying!” he thundered angrily. “Like how you goaded and injured your own flesh and blood! I’m surprised your brother is so protective of you despite how cruel you’ve been to him!” he spat.

Thistle winced, grinding his teeth. Looking back, he admitted he regretted those actions now and he had certainly not expected Branch to remain silent about them. But how could he prove that he regretted it now? He stared up desperately and with hurt, unsure of what to say.

“You can’t take that from me too, father,” he argued weakly. “I am your only heir. I am the only one that is left that can lead the kingdom.”

His father couldn’t take that one last thing from him too! He had been working for it his entire life…! Fighting to prove himself! Did his father not see that…?

“You are not the only heir,” King Oak argued back quietly.

Thistle stared back with disbelief, anger mounting. Was Branch going to take this last thing away from him too?

“Branch doesn’t know this kingdom or it’s people! It’s traditions!” Thistle barked back angrily. “Do you really think he’s going to want to be King without his mate? Do you think he’s going to be able to sacrifice children every five years once he finds out what started that heavy price?” he spat. “Are you really going to burden him with that guilt and pain?” Thistle spat and froze, realizing what he had just said…and the emotions it invoked. He realized…he didn’t want that for Branch, not after what their mother had given up to save him. It wasn’t right. Nothing about this was right or fair!

“Of course I’m not going to ask him to rule without his mate,” King Oak rebuked impatiently. “When Queen Poppy arrives in the next couple of days I will ask her to stay and become his Queen. To bring her people here to join ours and protect all trolls. I will tell her and Branch the truth about the Umbragon but I will not tell them…about what happened twenty-five years ago. Branch does not need that truth on his conscious. I can only hope they will eventually forgive me for asking them to accept such a heavy burden of them, but it is for the good of all trolls across all the kingdoms. I am sure once they see that they won’t refuse.”

“You can’t do this!” Thistle yelled taking a step up the stairs. “I won’t let you! I am the King the people need to continue protecting them. I have seen death and I am the only one that can continue protecting them by carrying on that burden. I will not be overlooked! And I won’t let you replace me with Branch! I won’t—”

“Silence!” King Oak roared and Thistle froze mid-step staring up. His father was shaking. “Enough, Thistle! Do not make this harder than in needs to be. It has been decided and nothing you say will change my mind any longer. Do not make me banish you.”

Thistle stiffened shocked. Banishment? Did…his father just really say that?

“Attack your brother again or step out of line…and you will be banished,” King Oak said quietly. “Do not force my hand Thistle. Do not force me to disown you to protect the kingdom.”

Thistle stared with utter disbelief and hurt. This…couldn’t be happening. Did he mean so little to his father?

“Return to your duties,” King Oak said with brisk agitation. He took the steps down and passed his frozen son and he stopped once he reached the final step. “I expected better of you, Thistle… Look to your brother and try bettering yourself, you could learn a thing or two from him about what it means to be a good troll.”

Thistle sucked in a sharp and painful breath feeling like an arrow had sunk into his flesh and cleaved its way to his heart.

He didn’t turn around as he heard his father’s steps cross the room and a minute later the great door to the throne room creaked and then slammed shut. Leaving Thistle alone in the silence, feeling like the statues glared in his direction with harsh judgment.

Thistle fell to his knees, a painful sound escaping him as he stared up at the desolate throne in the twilight glow.

Why?

He stared up and his despair eventually became a black glare as rage grew, as hate became a devouring dark tempest. So his father was willing to push him aside so easily? So Branch was the ideal son now? The hurt that came with the knowledge only fueled years of solitude and pain. It was the final rejection, the final spark to form a raging inferno inside Thistle’s heart that sought to destroy and devour.

His father would pay! No…King Oak would pay for his final betrayal.

Thistle stood up, staring down as the color was drowned out of his skin, seeping out and washed out by a tide of grey. A grey color that was shifting, churning, and darkening as the purple of his skin blackened. Like ink he watched with angry disinterest as his skin turned pitch black, surging deep from below the surface and swallowing every corner of his body. A cold sensation ran up his spine and he could feel the chill run through his hair as it too turned black as coal and his armored lost its luster, all the colors loosing saturation.

The anger burned on even stronger, chilling his insides with its fury.

“Aarrgh!” he screamed a curdling sound as he rushed down the step and ripped a banner off the wall. The shredding of the cloth ripped through the air in the silence and the flutter of the heavy material falling to the floor soon followed. He grabbed the torn material and cloaked himself, rushing out of the room as it billowed behind him.

Staying to the shadows he climbed the stairs and traveled up the levels with a rush, avoiding every path he knew guards would be patrolling or standing guard. He made it to an old and ancient door carved with runes on the floor just below the library.

He didn’t knock and simply shoved the door and walked in.

The room was filled with cubbies carved into the very walls with potions both mundane and dull and those that glowed with an unnatural magical glow. The scent of powerful chemicals, plants, and catalysts mixed with incense saturated and wafted heavily in the air. The tables were strewn with unorganized pieces of paper, scrolls and ancient tomes along with other odd items.

“Who are you?” demanded an old and withering voice.

Thistle closed the door and tossed the makeshift cloak aside. His icy eyes piercing into the room to the hunched pale blue troll with frayed dark green hair with an abundance of grey streaks.

“Thistle…” the old alchemist said astonished after a moment, pushing his round spectacles higher up his large nose. He grunted making an openly pitiful expression. “So you’ve finally allowed rage and hate to consume you,” he muttered. “I’m surprised you didn’t turn black sooner.”

“Calamus, I need that potion you once offered to my father,” he commanded with a dark harshness new to his voice. “The one to make his colors resurface.”

“Hm,” the old troll grunted warily as he stared at the prince like a concerned sheep before a ravenous wolf. He knew that is exactly what Thistle had become now, but worse. Nothing ever good came of a Troll consumed by rage and hate, he had hoped he never saw the day it happened but alas it had. “You do know it won’t actually make your colors come back, correct? It is only a temporary disguise. It’ll wear off in half a day,” he reminded.

“Just give it to me,” Thistle snarled dangerously as he walked up to the old troll.

“As you wish,” the old troll muttered shuffled over to a cluttered shelf as quickly as he could.

“Calamus,” Thistle started with a slow voice. “You helped my mother once, didn’t you? You gave her the magic that removed the Umbragon’s mark off Branch so that it couldn’t follow them and find him.”

Calamus pulled a vial from a box filled with glittering rainbow swirling liquid. He turned a wary stare at the elder prince.

“I did,” he muttered.

“You kept it secret from my father.”

“I did,” Calamus repeated as he handed the vial to Thistle. “Though he guessed my involvement long ago.”

Thistle didn’t care about that. “What do you know of soul mates?” he hissed. “Can their bond be destroyed as I’ve read?”

The old troll stared for a moment, perplexed. “A bond that is made and severed is likely to result in death if it strong, Thistle. Why do you ask?”

“I want that potion,” he demanded uncorking the vial and quickly swallowing it. The taste was disgustingly sweet to the point his teeth even hurt as it hit his tongue. Within moments he felt the burning in his stomach and the energy seeping through his skin from the inside.

Slowly color splashed back into his skin but the black feeling inside remained as his colors returned, temporarily. His eyes and voice however did could not be disguised nor the perpetual anger that now seemed to mark on his face.

“Why? Who’s it for? As far as I know there hasn’t been a pair of soul mates in this kingdom since your late uncle and aunt,” Callamus muttered eyeing him.

“That is none of your business,” Thistle snarled crushing the flask in his hand, chips of glass scattering beside him. “Are you going to obey me or not?”

Callamus sighed irritated and nodded. “Of course, your highness,” he said with impatient disrespect. “But I will need the hair of the two trolls it is for. The very magic that is in trolls is strongest in our hair, it is our essence.”

Thistle smirked maliciously making the old troll cringe internally knowing nothing good could come of this. Thistle had fallen prey to a far more savage nature. And indeed he had, Thistle was smirking at his good fortune. He had been saving the pink hair of the queen just in case and he had strands of Branch’s hair from the night he yanked his brother’s hair when they had fought at the mixer. He had found them caught between his clenched fingers when he had woken up in the morning. Everything was falling nicely into place, it couldn’t be mere coincidence.

“I have the hair,” he promised. “Make me more of the color potions. I will be back in a moment,” he said turning for the door before pausing looking back with a threatening gaze. “And this is to remain secret, Callamus…am I understood? I would hate to find you drowned in your own cauldron…”

Callamus stared back with a heavy frown, a glint of fear showing in his eye. “You have my word.”

“Good.”

Thistle slammed the door and left, returning to his room to gather the hair he had saved in an envelope. While he was there he wrote a note for Branch to go to the library at dusk and tucked it under his brother’s door. He left and soon returned to find Callamus watching a flask over a burner connected to a complex chemistry set of tubes and other flask. Already a burning red liquid was boiling in the largest of the glass containers.

“Did you bring the hair?” he asked without turning back to see who it was, he could tell just by the dark chill in the air the moment Thistle had walked in.

“I did,” Thistle said walking over and passing the envelope to the elder. Without looking the old trolls emptied half the contents into the boiling flask and set the envelope aside. A flash of heat made the bubbles churn and expand as swirls of pinks and blue dyed the liquid only for a second before a glowing vibrant red settled ominously. “How does it work?” Thistle asked sharply.

“One of the trolls with the bond has to drink it, that’s it and the bond is broken within moments,” he grumbled taking the flask off the fire with a pair of steel thongs.

“Can it be reversed once it is done?” Thistle inquired brusquely.

“It can,” Callamus replied cryptically. “By another potion.”

Thistle grunted in reply as Callamus emptied the contents into a cool flask ready to be corked. He watched as the alchemist work as he went over the plan in his head. He was going to make sure to destroy what his father had forsaken him for, the payment was long overdue…an injustice for an injustice.

Silently the alchemist passed him the potion and a box with the color potions. Thistle left with a shrewd and worried gaze on his back.

It was past lunch time now as Thistle headed for the library and unlocked the archives with his royal key that opened all locks and doors in the palace. He found the books he wanted quickly enough, taking the records out and placing the books in plain sight at the center of the first floor of the library with a note with Branch’s name on it. He sneered, regretting that he wouldn’t be present to see his father’s face when Branch found out the truth of the circumstances that happened almost twenty-five years ago.

Thistle knew the encounter would be painful for the king but Thistle would have to be satisfied watching the king crumble after he lost Branch again and there was only one way to assure Branch fell into despair... It was nothing personal, but his brother was in the way and the key to his revenge, the weakness in the king’s heart.

Thistle would watch his father pay for everything. His brother would be sparred of a cruel fate just like their mother had wanted and he would be out of the way and Thistle’s future secured once more. Thistle almost laughed as he imaged the scene in his head and his father finally apologizing to him and admitting he was wrong. He could almost taste the victory!

Clearly, Thistle was no longer the same troll. No longer was he thinking with clarity as the fog of anger remained like a sick and maddening voice whispering and laughing in his head. It would have it’s hunger sated.

He left the library afterwards to fetch his cloak and helmet. He ventured down to the training grounds after giving a guard orders to gather some of the elite warriors for an emergency expedition along with Carter, Moss and Holly. He then forged a false report and left it at his father’s desk in the study with a note of his mission on short notice, making his words sound genuinely worried along with an apology Thistle had written insincerely.

He went to the training grounds knowing he’d find Branch training there with Rose at this hour. As he opened the doors to the private room he was met with startled gazes as they stopped sparring.

“Branch, I need to speak with you,” he said urgently walking in.

“Thistle…” Branch said warily, eyeing his brother as he lowered his sword but not completely as he saw Thistle fully suited. Branch’s skin was crawling, there was something wrong about Thistle but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “What is it?”

“I want to apologize for earlier,” Thistle explained taking careful control of his face.

Branch looked surprised and frowned. “It’s alright. I would have probably done the same if I caught someone kissing Poppy,” he admitted with a sigh, obviously he had been thinking carefully about the situation.

Thistle smiled with false relief before frowning again, inside he felt cold as ice with only a single purpose burning. “That brings me to another issue,” Thistle continued grimly. “I need Rose, we just received a report that a pack of tusk wolves have moved in and are several miles south on the path that is used to get to the Mother Troll Tree. Queen Poppy might be in danger,” he explained. “I’m leading an expedition to go make sure she arrives safely with the scouts.”

Rose stared alarmed but Branch looked even more distressed.

“I’m coming with you,” Branch insisted immediately.

“No,” Thistle shook his head. “Father wants you to stay here. He said he needs to talk to you later and this mission is too dangerous. You’ll only get in our way,” he insisted and Branch looked nettled for a moment, like he wanted to argue.

Thistle placed his hand reassuringly on his brother’s shoulder. “I’ll get her back to you safely,” he promised giving his brother a serious stare. “You have my word. We’re brothers right?” he smiled kindly, convincingly. “I’ll protect her with my life, as…an apology for what I’ve done so far. Let me make it up to you.”

Branch stared at him shocked, he even looked uncertain. He swallowed and with a hard nod finally relented a moment later.

“Alright, but if you’re not back with her in two days I am coming after you,” he growled stubbornly.

“Deal,” Thistle smirked knowing it would not come to that. He let go of Branch and turned his stare at Rose who looked tense and suspicious as she stared at Thistle as if there was something wrong. “Let’s go, Rose,” he ordered and turned away before she could stare any harder and left the room.

Rose didn’t know what to do but she sensed something was wrong.

She looked to Branch with a dark frown. She had a very bad feeling.

“Branch…be careful.”

He stared back looking equally concern. “You too, watch out for Thistle…something… I don’t know, but…something feels wrong with him. Please…” he sighed. “Be careful and about Poppy…”

“I know. I’ll keep my eye on him. And I’ll protect Poppy with my life,” Rose promised grimly before she sheathed her sword and rushed out after the crown prince.

Branch frowned troubled by her words and watched her rush out of the room after Thistle. He hoped Poppy was alright, so far he had felt a sense of danger from her earlier but now everything seemed calm again. He just prayed it stayed that way but the sick sensation growing in his stomach left him little room to feel hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang, Thistle has joined the dark side. Is there any redemption to be had for the prince now that he's turned to a state worse than being grey? Now that he's been consumed by the worst and most blinding emotions of all? Can he regain his colors and happiness and learn to forgive his father? Until next chapter!


	20. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't it be nice (for some of us that is that rather feel ready than surprised) if novels had this before certain chapters?
> 
> WARNING: Angst and comfort ahead and cliffhangers.
> 
> Alas, they don't, my novels certainly don't but I am more than glad to offer them for a fan fiction because all of you, my wonderful readers, are more than just wonderful! Especially with your marvelous reactions and comments! I'm sorry that I am seeming quite evil right now, but it's part of my job, I promised things will turn around...or will it? Haha! Also I might be vanishing for a bit, I need to go celebrate a birthday in Hawaii. :P *I'm kidding!*
> 
> More amazing cute art by Sandra Novales: https://crazydaydreamerz.tumblr.com/post/158702888241/dear-dragonnmr-a-few-little-letters-from-my
> 
> Thank you so much, Sandra Novales! Also for the ship name I must absolutely steal for Thistle and Rose, Throse. Because we are all definitely suffering from the throes of despair right now!
> 
> And art from TiPoLover_22 who needs to send me a message when she shares something instead of letting me discover it by myself! (I'm just messing with you girl, lol): https://tipolover22.tumblr.com/post/158704511701/beautiful-scene-from-a-troll-epic-to-be-or-not-to

* * *

Branch left his weapon behind in the training room and decided he would go back to his room and finish his scrapbooking project for Poppy and try not to worry about her after Thistle’s news. He couldn’t shake off the sensation that something terrible was going to happen. But he reminded himself what capable warriors the Glade Trolls were, especially Thistle and Rose.

He couldn’t take out of his mind Thistle’s strange behavior either, the menacing darkness he swore he had heard in his brother’s voice. Was he imagining it?

Branch was so lost in thought he didn’t realize it when he arrived at his room and even looked startled for a moment as he stared at his door. He pulled out the key to his door and unlocked it, the lights turning on inside. He felt a little more positive at the idea of finishing the scrapbook, he hoped Poppy would like it and he was sure she would. She always had an appreciation for handcrafted gifts. It was his first time trying and getting the glitter inside the little canon had been more challenging than he initially expected. He couldn’t wait to see her showered in the glitter like she had done to him so many times, but knowing her she would love it rather than be annoyed which made his chuckle just a bit.

He walked through the doorway only to pause as he stepped on something and heard the crunching of paper before he even felt it.

Picking up his foot he saw the slightly wrinkled manila piece of paper folded on the floor. He picked it up and frowned as he opened it and read it.

_Branch, go to the library at dusk. There is something there on the first floor you need to read, the truth King Oak is hiding. You’ll know when you see it._

Branch flipped it over curiously, trying to find a signature or something. He didn’t know the handwriting and he knew it wasn’t from Princess’s Azalea whose handwriting he did know thanks to a few poems she had slipped under his door in the past few days.

Could it be from Rose, he wondered? Thistle would have written the word ‘father’ instead of King Oak…and he had spoken of a secret before. Rose on the other hand had uncomfortably brushed Branch off when he asked, so maybe it wasn’t from her? Then who?

Folding the piece of paper Branch stepped into his room and looked at the clock. It was nowhere near dusk… Maybe he could catch whoever had left him the note if he left now and stuck around the library? He didn’t know when his father would summon him to speak with him but Branch was sure a guard would find him either way.

Branch decided to remove his armor before going, placing each piece on the stand as he took it off. As he unbuckled the breastplate he winced with a sharp pain suddenly taking his breath away. As he removed the armor more carefully he then carefully touched the side of his ribs on the left side of his torso, flinching and hissing as he touched tender flesh. He pulled up his shirt only to see a purplish molten bruise tainting his usual blue skin and he grimaced.

Glancing at his armor he noticed the new scratches and dents marring the steel and wood plates. There was a new and bigger dent on the left side of the metal breastplate where at some point Thistle had obviously hit him during the fight. He admitted he had been sore since the fight but the pain was barely coming to him now that the armor had been removed.

With a sigh to himself, Branch went to the bathroom and pulled out a medical kit and got some ointment for the pain and bruising. At least he wasn’t covered in injuries which surprised him.

Afterwards he left, striding down the hallway to the elevator and taking it to the higher floor where the library was.

He found himself before the great wooden doors carved with a stylized Troll Tree into the wood and at the bottom a treasure trove of books and scrolls before the roots of the tree. As he pushed the giant doors open the dry air flowed out with the scent of paper and old bound books, bringing the familiar earthen scent to his nose.

If it weren’t for the tension and anxiety tying his stomach with roiling acid he would have breathed in the smell deeply with delight.

But now he didn’t, even as he looked into the grand and giant chamber before him with multiple ring floors that climbed high above to a great dome ceiling with ancient paintings of scenery and the ancient trolls to watch everything below. At the center of the dome roof hung long thick gnarled roots that twisted together to form a giant pod-like structure with crystals growing between the nooks and crannies of the roots and even giant glowing mushrooms growing out in clusters.

The room was elegant, the giant wood shelves, railings, and pillars that held up the floors were carved with intricate designs that reflected the tree, trolls, and nature. Even the study tables and chairs were graceful in design. The shelves housed thousands of books and tomes, a collection that paled the tiny library back home and made even Branch feel small inside it. It was the largest chamber inside the palace and all the trolls of the kingdom came here.

However the library was desolate at this hour, filled with utter silence, since it was only open till the hour before lunch for the public.

Quietly closing the giant doors behind him Branch ventured into the first floor. He walked towards the center of the room where all the tables and desks were arranged in very clear order that left ample room for the carpet pathways between desks.

The giant chamber echoed out silence and was dusted in a sepia glow that softly bounced off everything in the library and scarcely illuminated the dust that lingered in the air. In the dusky light among lamps housing glowing insects, plants, or stones for light he caught sight of two old tomes on a table near the center of the room. Every other table was bare but this one and the books laid there ominously as if waiting for him. One pitch black with silver lettering and another book trimmed with green, brown, and other subtle colors and inlaid with golden embroidery along the spine and the title.

Grimacing, Branch paused and looked around the room looking for any sign that someone was nearby. But the library was empty. He could feel it and hear nothing even as his ears twitched to catch even the tiniest of noises. Not even the librarian seemed to be there this day. The silence was deafening as his footsteps didn’t even make a sound as he approached the desk.

His heart however felt like it was hammering in the silence, getting louder which each step that brought him closer to the books and the piece of paper folded and standing between them. His name was written on the note with the same hand and it was all it had.

Looking down at the books he recognized one was the legend of the Mother Troll tree, in fact he had read the book the other day but this one…looked bigger. The other book had a cover deep in pitch black and the title confused him, made a stone settle deep in his stomach.

“Record of Immolates…” he whispered. Didn’t that mean…sacrifices? There was something very wrong about this book, the feeling he got from it was dread.

He touched it and ignored the other book for now as he flipped the cover, hearing the aged material moan, rustle, and stretch as it was opened. Branch peered inside at the first page which had a list of signatures, the ones at the top were the most faded and as the list continued the ink grew darker as if the letters were younger. He recognized the librarian’s name at the bottom of the list. He flipped the first few pages till he finally reached a passage.

 

_I, Blaise, first Wizard and Alchemist to King Balfour, do chronologize the beginning of the sorrow Trolls will live with for the years to come till a worthy soul can free Balfour from its sleep embedded in our Mother. Our immortality has been taken and our magic weakened but many of us have lived full enough to not regret its loss, only regret the future we will leave behind._

_First Troll King Balfour has left a terrible agreement to be carried out. The shadow, the shade, has been sealed in a mortal and most monstrous form that can ravage the world in night and black fire. We cannot end its life, not without the Blade of Balfour, I believe, nothing else has thwarted it. But I will never see the day it will be freed, only hope that it may happen. Sooner rather than later. We now call the shadow the Umbragon, a creature like none on this earth but it is not powerful enough to end its curse, thankfully, but still overwhelming in strength to destroy us without effort._

_We are only bidding our time as is the beast, it hoping to gather enough strength to destroy the Mother and the magic that has bound it and us time to find a way to defeat it. It was with a heavy heart that King Balfour agreed to sacrifice a single child of the monster’s choosing every decade it should awaken and stir from the bowels of Mt. Montem. A child that is innocent, pure of heart, and strong in Troll magic. I can see this as the beast’s effort’s to sate its insatiable appetite to devour color, life, and happiness and absorb Troll magic slowly to end its own curse. To keep the Mother Troll Tree and all Trolls safe till the day the Umbragon can be vanquished, King Balfour has agreed before he gave his life for the blade. This is the promise the family of Balfour will carry on as the ages pass and so it is now that we Trolls must chronicle the passage of time. And so the first age begins of written dark history, which I begin as 0:00 Age of Slumber and each age will be the breath of a century._

_Before, written in ink we will hold the memory of each child lost to the Umbragon and we begin with Prince Sequoia, four of age, youngest son of King Balfour and youngest brother of King Alerce. May the list to follow be of little length and if not may these children rest in peace and forgive their forebears._

_— First and last _ _Wizard-Alchemist, Blaise of Mother_

 

Branch stopped, taking in a sharp breath. He turned to the other book and opened it up with a rush, paging through the pages and scanning over the text till he found that portion of the story. He froze, gulping and reading the story that had just been confirmed in the black tome within moments.

Was this…was this the secret Thistle had spoken of? Of the Umbragon…? This…couldn’t be true! It was an idea of nightmarish proportions and Branch felt his heart miss a painful beat. Children…how long had this been going on for…?

He turned back to the black book and started reading down the list of the first page.

 

 _0:00 Age of Slumber, Prince Squoia Son of King Balfour and Queen_ _Ianae, age four, red of skin, forest green of hair and green eyes. Devoured under the first new moon of spring. First sacrifice._

_0:10 Age of Slumber, Princess Camellia Daughter of King Alrece and Queen Ellia, age six, red of skin, jade green of hair and blue eyes. Devoured under the third new moon of spring._

_0:20 Age of Slumber, Daisy Daughter of Macy and Carol, age eight, purple of skin, cream white of hair and green eyes. Devoured under the last new moon of winter._

 

Branch felt like he was chocking with each line he read, and the list continued on for several pages and he read each name aloud, as if possessed. Each name deserved to be spoken and their names seemed to echo, to haunt the air as he breathed them back into living memory and life.

The second age came with more names. Then the third. The fourth. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Eighth. Ninth…

He felt tears drip down his cheeks, having long been stinging his eyes and it was hard to breathe as he reached a new line, the ninety-ninth name and he paused shocked. He quietly breathed out the words.

“9:90 Age of Conflict, Prince Pine Son of King Elmwood and Queen Maple, age ten, orange of skin, turquoise of hair and blue eyes. Devoured under the first new moon of spring. Among the seven oldest children ever selected.”

The word devoured echoed and thundered in his head for the ninety-ninth time, it seemed to be permanently engraved into his thoughts.

Branch took an unsteady step backwards as he held his breath. One of his father’s brothers had been a sacrifice? He felt like vomiting but forced himself to lean forward again and kept reading and hoped the sensation would pass. The hole in his stomach felt like it was getting bigger and his eyes burned just as his heart beat painfully in his chest and sent his blood rushing with a cold stupor through his body.

There were two more names.

He read the next one that ended the Age and then the brief summary on the name of the new age, called the Age of Steel due to the more recent and continued warlike nature of the Glade Trolls since the Age of Conflict after the succession of several kingdoms from helping to protect the world. Then it explained the Age of Steel was renamed the Age of Shadow but it was not elaborated to as why, yet.

Branch read the first name lost in the current age, a thousand years later and the one hundredth sacrifice to the Umbragon. That is until he stumbled on the next line after the first name and it had him frozen in shock and mortification.

“10:10 Age of Shadow, Prince Branch of King Oak and Queen Rosemary, age of two days, aqua blue of skin, dark navy of hair and blue eyes. Never devoured under the third new moon of spring. Youngest chosen in history. Marker and reason for renaming the new age to Shadow.”

He gasped, feeling his guts wrench and the burning fire surge up his throat. He covered his mouth and hard swallowed back down the acid before the nausea overtook him and stumbled back into the seat behind him, almost tripping. He grabbed the seat unsteadily and he felt not only his heart beating far too fast but the hitching of his breath in panic and making his throat dry and sore.

He was…he was the one hundredth and one victim? The sacrifice that never had been eaten? Wh-why? What was going one?! This couldn’t be true!

Eyes wide he rushed forward and yanked the book closer and kept reading feverishly. A passage was written after his name.

 

_On the age of 10:10 Steel, renamed Shadow, Queen Rosemary has vanished with the chosen Prince Branch, her youngest and recent born son. He was marked by the shadow scale, marked for death on the night of the third new moon of spring. By some means she has removed the mark from her son and with retired Queen Rosiepuff of the Rosales Kingdom, vanished two nights before the set date. In a frantic search King Oak has sent several squads to retrieve her and their son. The children of the Glade Trolls were evacuated early to the bunkers deep in the forest, a day’s trip from the Mother Troll Tree. After the disappearance of the Queen and fear of retribution, the civilians were also evacuated by order of King Oak. The other children of the other kingdoms were kept in the palace bunker, just in case, rather than returned home as tradition usually dictated after the sacrifice was chosen._

_On the third new moon of spring Queen Rosemary, retired Queen Rosiepuff, and Prince Branch are still not to be found. The Umbragon arrived at the Mother Troll Tree in a rage, the beast bellowing and demanding why it could not sense its chosen offering. King Oak mounted the defenses and was prepared for battle. Once again he attempted to free the Blade of Balfour, only to fail once more much to his despair and that of his people. And black fire and blood spilled that night as the Glade Trolls tried for the first time in a thousand years to defeat the beast._

_The civilians had been evacuated but death took its toll of the warriors. Sickness, black and cold, began to devour the Mother Troll Tree and one hundred and twenty three brave fighting souls were lost as dawn approached to end the night. The forest burned with black and red fire, the Glade looked as if death would finally claim it even as the sword gleamed like a false beacon of hope, keeping the darkness at bay but not the fire, not the death, or the screaming._

_King Oak weary and wounded, spirit broken, begged the Umbragon to cease its destruction and onslaught of his people and the Mother Troll Tree. With heavy words he offered the children under the Mother’s roots to indemnify the beast’s loss and soothe its wrath as the tree and his people died around him, as the ancient forest burned with no rain…_

 

“No…” Branch breathed, shaking his head finding it impossible to stop reading the horror written on the page.

 

_The Umbragon accepted with a second condition, that each time it awoke it would devour three innocents, three children of its choosing. King Oak agreed. And one hundred and fifty two children were presented to the darkness that day, their screaming still peeling in the air, their crying ringing as they were ushered before the mountain of darkness that was the sure destruction of all Trolls. And the Umbragon chose its first three worthy victims to devour, the rest were unfit and in its cruel reminder to not cross it again, the remaining children became the black ash for the soil at the roots of the Mother._

_Their names can still be found here, the next page with all the names of all the other children._

_10:10 Age of Shadow, Princess Magnolia Daughter of Queen Lily and King Fern of Rhodon Kingdom, age five, mint colored skin, pale pink of hair and pink eyes. Macaroon son of Cake and Noon, age seven, yellow of skin and hair, pink eyes. Sky daughter of Butterfly and Lark, age four, sky colored skin, silver hair, blue eyes. Devoured the night of the third new moon of spring before the dawn._

_Five years later, with war and grief taking the other kingdoms for their loss, we would learn the Umbragon had woken up yet again. This would be the price to pay for the one child sacrifice averted in 10:10 Age of Shadow and King Oak’s defiance to challenge it in battle. For the King loving the weak heart of a Troll not of his kind who was the first to defy the ancient pact and nearly destroy the Mother and all Trolls. The shadow has grown stronger, and the world has started to lose its color around the mountain it calls its lair, spreading farther each year. The sword may never find a soul that can claim it, time is ending for Trolls._

_— Aspar, Elder of Wisdom and Record Keeper of King Oak of Balfour_

 

Branch was gasping painfully, hot heavy tears streaking down his face… Why? This awful truth couldn’t be true, could it? Especially not the twelve children sacrifice that followed in the past twenty years afterwards? How…how was this awful reality true?

Because of his mother, because of him…the Glade Trolls had been nearly destroyed twenty-four years ago and since then…one hundred and sixty-four children had died in his place. Fifteen of them eaten by the Umbragon, one hundred and forty-nine burned alive. And his father had willingly allowed it all to happen.

Tears rushed more profusely, salty and stinging as the reality of the loss impacted him and the guilt began to eat away at his insides along with overwhelming pain and sorrow. He saw his skin pale, lose color on his hands… Why? Why did there have to be so much loss because of him?

And from the consistent dates of the past twenty years next week the beast would awaken again, ready to choose and devour three new children…

Branch slammed the book shut and yanked it off the table and rushed out of the library, drying his eyes against his sleeve angrily. He briskly made it to the elevator, shaking as he pulled the lever and went down a level to the floor with the council room and other chambers for work for the King and the Elders. As he marched off the platform he turned and saw a guard on post.

“You!” he snapped with no patience for friendliness, his emotions were still raw. “Where is King Oak?” he demanded with an angry voice.

The guard jumped, looking slightly frightened.

“He’s in the council room speaking with some of the Elders, Prince Branch,” he said quickly.

Branch nodded in thanks and strode past him towards the familiar doors of the Council Room, the black book swinging at his side. He paused before the door but didn’t think about what he might be interrupting as he shoved the door open.

The large wood doors creaked quietly and voices poured out from the busy ambience of the chamber. Eyes looked up at him again like that first day, curious and baffled by the interruption but this time they recognized him.

King Oak looked up confused and seemed surprised when he saw Branch.

“Ah, we were just talking about you Crown Prince Branch,” Elder Ashe greeted with a friendly enough smile. “Join the meeting. It will be a good experience for you. You have a lot to learn after all.”

 _Crown…wait, what?_ Branch thought to himself startled, what was this troll talking about? His father turned a sharp warning glare on the Elder and Branch knew he was missing context here again since the information didn’t make any sense.

“There will be time for that later,” King Oak rebuffed impatiently. “I still need to discuss a great deal many things with Branch before then,” he reminded.

Elder Ash nodded quietly as the other Elders muttered and exchanged looks around the table. Aspar, the record keeper and library was looking at Branch with his bleary foggy gaze past his glasses with a deep frown, trying to stare at the book under Branch’s arm.

“Is there something you need, Branch?” King Oak asked with a sigh, looking calmer.

Branch didn’t answer, with a hard expression he walked deeper into the room, around the table, and before his father’s seat. Without a word Branch slammed the book on the table before him and gave his father a silent look of betrayal, waiting.

King Oak turned to look at the book before his eyes stretched wide.

“How did—where…?” he asked mortified and looked up at Branch, meeting a scowling expression and dark eyes.

King Oak let out a sad groan and turned to the council members who had taken notice of the book and were looking uncomfortable.

“Please, leave us,” the King said quietly.

The council members didn’t need a second invitation to vacate the room and soon the chamber was empty, echoing with the lingering thud of the door.

“Please, listen to your father and sit down this time,” he insisted pointing to the seat next to Branch.

Without argument Branch sat down, he knew this time he needed it. As hard as he was trying he felt like he might collapse at any moment from shock.

“Where did you find this book?” King Oak asked touching it and fingering the edge of the old cover.

“In the library,” Branch answered shortly.

King Oak gave him a deep frown, obviously not convinced.

“It was left there for me, I don’t know by whom,” Branch finally answered.

King Oak sunk into his chair, staring at the book suspiciously before turning his tired gaze on Branch.

“And…you read it?”

“I read _all_ of it,” Branch growled and his voice finally cracked, finally began to bleed out the emotions he was trying to drown. “It is true?” he finally asked with a hard voice. “Was I supposed to die?”

King Oak looked more dejected than ever, ashamed and regretful than his pale gray skin showed.

“It’s true,” he finally sighed. “The Umbragon chose you as its offering that year almost twenty-five years ago.”

The pain that crossed Branch’s face was almost unimaginable, like the pain in his beating heart.

“What…actually happened?” Branch finally breathed, betrayed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

King Oak frowned looking up, tears already stinging the edges of his eyes. “You already read it yourself, Branch…” he sighed looking more tired than his age let on as he looked into Branch’s eyes, pale blue meeting pale blue. “Would you really have given me the chance to know you Branch, if I had told you your father had been willing to sacrifice you right after you were born? That your mother was the only one brave enough to stand up and try and save you? You were only two days old when you were chosen and she already fiercely loved you as any true mother would, enough to risk losing everything to save you. Would you really have given me a second chance when you found out your father had not been willing to do the same?” he finally asked, the tears breaking free and running down his face.

Branch frowned hurt as the truth was spoken and he looked down at his clenched hands.

“No…” he admitted slowly after a moment of silence. “It would have been too painful to try.”

“Exactly,” King Oak wheezed softly. “It is not that I didn’t love you, Branch. But I knew my place as King… I knew the weight of the vow King Balfour took to keep us safe over a thousand years ago and that it did not exclude our family from ever having one of our own picked. It is my job to protect _all trolls_ no matter the sacrifices that need to be made on my part. You read what happened…” he said looking at the black book painfully. “The hundred lives that were lost over the course of a thousand years were lost three times over in the blink of an eye in a single night.”

Branch was quiet, looking at the accursed book too.

The king let out a thick sob. “I lost everything so quickly, Branch. In the effort to protect my people I failed to protect my family. Maybe if I had sided with your mother, decided to fight rather than meekly let you die…maybe Balfour would have found me worthy enough to wield it and finally end the misery. Maybe it was waiting for someone who was willing to stand and fight even if it meant they sacrificed themselves, not another king too weak but to do what his ancestors had done before him.”

Branch looked up, shocked at what King Oak was saying. Branch realized he was crying again, unable to contain his emotions any longer.

“It’s my fault,” King Oak snarled hatefully, slamming his fist against the table. “I couldn’t pull out the sword when it mattered most, I wasn’t worthy enough to save my people and save you. To apologize to your mother and have her come back home!” he spat.

Branch swallowed, he hadn’t expected his father to blame himself.

“It’s not your fault,” Branch sighed somberly. “If mother had just let me be eaten as it was supposed to happen…so many wouldn’t have died,” he choked, closing his eyes as hot tears squeezed past his eyelids.

He gasped as hard hands grabbed his shoulders and suddenly shook him hard. He looked up at the angry tearful expression in his father’s eyes.

“Never blame yourself!” he bellowed. “You were a child. Nothing that happened that night was your fault! Don’t you ever blame yourself, Branch. Never!” he snarled.

Branch stared and then the shock had him sobbing. “How can I not? If I hadn’t been born…if Mother hadn’t tried saving me, twice, she would still be here with you. Rosiepuff would be here…”

“No!”

Branch stared silently with shock and the furious conviction in his father’s voice.

“Do **not** blame yourself,” he repeated angrily. “Your mother would be heartbroken to see you like this and so would your grandmother Rosiepuff!” he barked, his voice cracking. “They didn’t give up everything so that you could blame yourself, Branch. They did it so you could live! So you could be happy! They gave you everything because they loved you, do not insult their sacrifice and love for you by blaming yourself for what they were willing to give for you,” he said, frowning intently. “Instead, prove you can fulfill their love and their desire for you to be happy and alive. Live for everything they wanted you to have, there is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with finding happiness.”

Branch stared frozen as slowly the pain melted from blame to sadness. His heart felt like it was breaking…where had those words been his entire life, that told him not to blame himself? Yet how could he not have blamed himself this entire time?

“Now, your father asks you to do the same,” King Oak said trying to smile encouragingly as small as it was past his tears and sorrow. “And that maybe, someday you can forgive me too for not being strong enough back then. For not having the courage to do what your mother and grandmother had done for you, to show you that your father loves you too. I want you to find that happiness, especially with your soul mate, my son. I want you to forgive yourself, because you are not to blame. You never were.”

Fat tears slipped past Branch’s eyes and he finally choked, gasping for air, “Dad!”

He slumped forward into his father’s arms, his head pressing into his father’s shoulder as he let all the emotional pain slip out of him and be spent. He cried into his father’s arms and even felt his beard rubbing into his face which was somehow comforting. As Branch held him tight he felt strong arms embrace around him in turn and hold him close and tight in comfort.

Branch could feel tears slipping into his hair as his father softly cried too, the sounds softly reverberating into his ears form the king’s chest but he didn’t mind as they both let the emotions run their course. Branch lost track of time, his nose was stuffy and his eyes were itchy and dry as the last tears escaped him. He could feel the gentle patting of a large hand against his back as Branch’s hands clutched tightly to his father’s robes.

He finally let go with a painful respire, pulling himself back to his chair and seeing his father smiling with melancholy. Sad but happy all at once as he stared at his youngest son.

“Of course, I forgive you…” Branch sighed, how could he blame him? The truth hurt but he understood where his father was coming from, why he had done it. As a king, it was an impossible and cruel task to choose one life over the survival of all trolls even if that life was his own son. Not everyone would have the strength to give up something as precious to protect the many, even a king. But Branch didn’t blame his mother either, who had loved him too much to let him die just like that and had been willing to risk everything to save him, selfish or not. It was two sides of a coin and neither choice was right or wrong, just a choice that wasn’t easy.

King Oak seemed to brighten, just a little but he was still clearly troubled and sad.

“You are something special, Branch,” he murmured.

Branch shrugged, rubbing his cheeks dry. “I don’t know about that. But…I do need some time,” he admitted. “This…this has been a lot to take in.”

King Oak nodded in understanding, pulling himself deeper into his chair.

Branch looked up with a dark and serious expression. “The Umbragon is waking up next week, isn’t it?”

King Oak’s expression darkened. “It is,” he confirmed. “After your birthday, we are evacuating the children as the children of the other kingdoms arrive.”

“What do you mean?” Branch asked confused. “Why are you hiding our children?”

King Oak sighed with a shake of his head. “After you were chosen and so many died that night, I made sure our children would no longer be picked as sacrifices. Our people could not handle the stress and loss and another incident like yours happening again…” he admitted. “It is selfish I know, but it had to be done.”

That was unfair, but sacrificing children to begin with no matter where they came from was an injustice.

“Dad…” Branch started unsure where to start, almost expecting his father to rebuff him for calling him so informally but his father seemed to brighten with it. “I don’t know if I am worthy…but I want your permission to try pulling the sword out of the Mother Troll Tree,” he finally stated, determined.

King Oak looked startled. “Branch, I can’t let you do that! No one knows what will happen once the sword is freed, it takes life and it might take your life to use it. Think of Poppy,” he added desperately trying to dissuade him.

Branch frowned determined, he was sure Poppy would understand once she arrived. “Poppy would want the same, dad. She would want to do anything to stop this, so let me try after I talk to her,” he insisted. “You tried and I’m guessing Thistle did do? I’m willing to try.”

King Oak sighed, shaking his head in defeat but there was reluctant acceptance in his eyes. “Everyone here in this Kingdom has tried and failed…but I won’t deny you the chance,” he finally agreed. “But I just got you back…I can’t watch losing you again,” he begged one final time, desperate.

Branch smiled a little, reassuring. “You won’t lose me, dad. Let me try, I want to stop this,” his frown returned, dark and serious. “I don’t want any more trolls to lose any more of their children if I can help it. I know Poppy would feel the same, even it means…” he choked unable to say it. He couldn’t imagine it and he didn’t want to.

King Oak nodded in understanding. “Very well, Branch,” he said and smiled proudly. “If you succeed…and nothing bad happens and this nightmare can finally be ended… You will truly make a great King for our people. I want you to be King after me with your Queen Poppy.”

Branch balked, shocked. “But… What do you mean? Isn’t Thistle going to be King?” he blabbered out without much thought on what had just been said, he should have denied the offer first!

King Oak shook his head with a troubled sigh. “I can’t let Thistle be King, he is not ready. He is filled with too much bloodlust and anger and he would be a terrible King.”

“That’s not true!” Branch snapped immediately.

King Oak looked startled, staring with wide confused eyes. Admittedly, Branch was just as surprised but he kept arguing.

“Sure, Thistle may have a short temper but he _cares_ about his people,” Branch reasoned. “He cares about those under his charge. I’ve heard from Rose and the others how many times he’s risked his life to protect another troll in battle, he’s not selfish when it counts like his life. He inspires them. I saw it myself when we went through Bonefalcon Canyon, he never tore his eyes away from his warriors but trusted their skill… Haven’t you seen him in a real fight?” he asked confused unable to explain it.

King Oak looked truly speechless, his eyes growing troubled again.

“To be truthful…I haven’t seen Thistle in a real battle since he was very young,” he admitted. “I couldn’t bear getting near him after he almost died in that one battle…”

Branch scowled and knew he needed to meddle.

“Thistle…has been in a lot of pain, dad,” Branch started off. “I think he wants to make you proud but he doesn’t know how… He wants your approval but he doesn’t know how to get it. I think…that is why he has been lashing out, he probably feels like you don’t care about him.”

King Oak was deeply frowning, clearly bewildered by what Branch had just said. Branch knew he had to drive his point home.

“When…when was the last time you told him you loved him?” Branch asked quietly.

The King suddenly had a brooding expression, rubbing his beard as he thought hard. His eyes widened with mortification after a while.

“I…I don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s been so many years and the few conversations we’ve had over them, the few times we saw each other…where so few and always tense, always about battle or war. When I came back home after searching for you and your mother… Thistle was already almost an adult, ready to take command and I…” he hesitated, gulping ashamed. “I didn’t speak with anyone at the time after I returned, I locked myself away, I was tired and sad…and he left.”

Branch frowned, no wonder his brother was so bitter. He knew what his father had felt, he could sympathize, Branch had locked himself away and never let anyone in for years. But he could also imagine how hard that had been for Thistle to endure when he had just wanted at least one of his parents back, to feel loved and wanted.

“You’re not the only one that lost everything twenty-four years ago, dad,” Branch said carefully, knowing what he was about to say was bold. “Thistle might have lost more than you did, he lost his dad and his mom and he still probably feels like he hasn’t even gotten you back.”

King Oak was staring with wide unblinking eyes and finally he groaned, slumping into his seat.

“You’re...right, I’m astonished…that you’re right. How…could I not see that?” he groaned and looked out over the table thoughtfully. He looked back, confused. “Why are you so good to him, Branch? I heard what he did to Poppy, how he injured her after he forced you to go with him and how he wounded you in a fight on the way here.”

“What?!” Branch yelled surging up. “What do you mean he hurt Poppy?!”

King Oak grimaced. “Oh…I thought you knew. The soldiers said he cut her face with his sword after she gave him a sharp remark if anything happened to you.”

Branch gnashed his teeth together and his fist slammed into the table. So that was why his face had hurt that night after they had taken off! He was going to choke Thistle when he saw him! He was fuming.

King Oak shook his head, like he was fighting between a grimace and a smile.

“Please, explain to me why you’re helping your brother, Branch,” he said again. “I want to understand, think about getting your revenge on him later,” he chuckled.

Branch frowned and was surprised his thoughts were so easily deduced. He sat down again making a grumpy expression as he sighed ruefully.

“Because…I realized Thistle isn’t that bad,” he admitted. “Earlier today he asked me to help him sing better.”

King Oak stared astonished, like he was looking at a ghost.

Branch snorted and nodded amused as he agreed. “He opened up to me while I was giving him lessons in the garden,” Branch continued thoughtfully. “He told me a little bit about mom, and grandma when she was living here and how they used to spend time together. I…I could see how much it hurt him and I knew, we were a lot alike. I realized how much we share in common like how singing became something that reminded us of what we had lost. I’m honestly surprised Thistle didn’t turn grey like I did, and yet I’m not surprised by how harsh he became trying to suppress all that pain by himself. How alone he felt,” he explained, his father nodding with understanding and guilt. “When I saw how much pain he was in when we tried singing Grandma’s Rosiepuff’s song, True Colors…I could relate,” he frowned shaking his head sadly.

“I had forgotten about that song,” King Oak reminisced for a moment.

“Thistle…” Branch let out a dry chuckle, he still couldn’t believe it. “He thanked me when I tried to comfort him, he looked relieved. He even started joking with me and…we teased each other in a friendly way I never thought would be possible.”

Branch shook his head smiling slightly, still surprised and then he frowned as he remembered how the moment was ruined.

“The point is I know Thistle isn’t bad, he’s just hurt…” he looked up, frowning deeply. “I think he’s mostly hurt with you, dad. I can see it on his face when we are all together and you’re only talking to me and ignoring him. And the way he’s talked about you when we are alone, like…he’s angry and upset, like you make him feel he isn’t good enough. That’s what I get from him at least. I think you should talk to him, try to make up for lost time because…I can’t be the king of your people. I can only see Thistle becoming King of the Mother Troll Tree and I think he will be a good king, once he feels like he can start healing.”

He stared into his father’s serious eyes that looked lost in turmoil and emotion.

“Branch…you…” King Oak let out deep and painful breath. “Are far wiser and less blind than I am,” he said smiling proudly. “Thank you. You…are right. I have a lot to apologize for to Thistle when he gets back. I just…hope it is not too late for him to forgive me after what I said this afternoon to him,” he sighed clearly worried and distressed. “I don’t know how I could have been so blind,” he snorted at himself and looked at Branch, smiling. “You will be a very good King for Poppy, I am very proud to call you my son and you are a very good brother to Thistle even if he hasn’t exactly earned it, but that is my fault. I will make sure he knows that, maybe…we can be a real family then,” he smiled longingly, hopeful, his skin even looked a ting brighter.

Branch smiled, glad and relieved everything finally seemed to be working out and he hoped for that too. He hoped they could become closer together as a family, he looked forward to it in fact.

“You look tired and I need to think,” King Oak said as he stood up. “Join me for dinner?” he asked with a slight and hopeful smile.

Branch smiled back, feeling a bit unsure. He wanted to be alone too right now. “I’ll try,” he promised reluctantly.

“Good,” King Oak rumbled. “Off you go then, I will see you later,” he said opening his arms and offering a hug.

Branch gladly accepted and then left.

He felt a little more at peace but he was weighed down nonetheless by all that had happened today. It had been an emotional roller-coaster to say the least.

When he made it to his room he finished working on the scrapbook, trying to think of anything but the names of the children he had read today. But they echoed in his mind relentlessly and he thought of the first king and the sword.

He was afraid he wasn’t going to be able to pull it out, that his effort would be just as in vain as all those before him. What made him any more worthy than those before him? What if he couldn’t do it? What then? How many more trolls would be eaten before the Umbragon was free again in its true form? How long did the trolls have before their world ended and all color and happiness was lost and they were all devoured by the darkness too?

Branch stared at the finished project hours later, bogged down by his doubt and fear as he cradled his head against his crossed arms resting on the table. He had missed dinner, lost as he was in his dark and sad thoughts, feeling his skin turning greyer in tone.

“Poppy…” he whispered wishing he had her sunshine near to brush away his troubles with just her smile. He closed his eyes, imagining her face, hearing her voice, feeling her presence. “Please hurry…I need you.”

 


	21. Severed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *In a far off place where there is a staff meeting with the characters talking to the audience and writer*
> 
> Author: You guys are so spoiled! I just updated five days ago and you want more! Can't the writer have a break while dealing with life?
> 
> Thistle: If they are spoiled, it is your own fault. If you had them on a strict routine and scheduled you wouldn't have a reason to complain.
> 
> Author: ...
> 
> Branch: He's got a point. You should update only on certain days and the readers will learn—
> 
> Poppy: Don't be so stiff you two! It's just they love the story soooo much, they want to know what happens next! Of course they're going to ask for updates!
> 
> Branch: Poppy...that isn't the point...
> 
> Rose: Usually, I would agree, schedules are good. But here I have to agree with Poppy, having them on a routine won't stop them from asking for an update more quickly. You two should learn not to be such a branch and thistle in the mud. *holds down a giggle while grinning*
> 
> Thistle & Branch: ...
> 
> Poppy: Finally! Someone who gets it! High five! *raises her hand for a high five*
> 
> Rose: *high fives Poppy*
> 
> Thistle: The was a horrible pun, Rose.
> 
> Branch: Just terrible.
> 
> Thistle: I should make it a capital offense.
> 
> Branch: Agreed.
> 
> Poppy & Rose: *giggling*
> 
> Authors: Guys...this is cute and all...but it DOESN'T solve my problem!
> 
> Thistle: Stop complaining and just update the story already, it's your fault anyways. Take responsibility.
> 
> Author: ... So rude, Mr. Cinnamon-roll.
> 
> Thistle: Wait!? What!? What did you just call me?
> 
> Author: Oh, did I forget to mention that? That's your new nickname.
> 
> *Everyone but Thistle is laughing*
> 
> Thistle: *glares* I HATE it! Stop it! All of you!
> 
> Author: Naw.
> 
> Rose: It's kind of cute.
> 
> Poppy: Yeah, it kind of is. I like it!
> 
> Branch: So long as it's not my nickname.
> 
> Thistle: Traitors. I hate all of you... Especially, you! *points at author*
> 
> Author: Hey! Go blame, TiPoLover_22, they are the one who gave you the nickname, not me.
> 
> Thistle: *grabs a spear and a sword* I'll be back. *leaves the room*
> 
> Author: Well... We'll have to wait for him to come back before we can update the story, it's a pretty intense chapter after all, can't do it without him. So for now...um...dance break?
> 
> *Singing and dancing commences*

* * *

 

“I’m Robin, your highness! I’m the leader of this group,” the blue troll with bright red hair bowed to Poppy as he spoke with such a delighted voice.

They were finally taking a break after their quick flight from the canyon. Now they stopped for lunch deep in the ancient forest with trees so large and thick Poppy couldn’t believe it, yet they were familiar to her thanks to her dreams from Branch. Right now the group was sheltered under the shade of a large bush and sitting among its twisting grass covered roots while big black berries hung above their heads.

The entire Snack Pack was huddled behind Poppy after being deposited by the buzzlbees onto the ground with their steeds. Each one of the Queen’s friends looked on with cautious and wary eyes as they stared at the Glade Trolls. Poppy stood straight and determined although her eyes were just as wary, nervous, and confused and she felt a little tired, a while ago it had felt like she had been in a fight.

“Hello and thank you,” she said with a strong voice, trying to hide her nerves. “You really saved us back there,” she said gratefully.

Robin grinned widely, almost disturbingly. The other warriors in their armor were slipping off their flying mounts and walking over, lifting up the face plates of their helmets and revealing their faces. They were all smiling in a friendly way and Poppy wanted to feel at ease with their non-hostile expressions…

“Our pleasure, Queen Poppy,” he grinned widely. “We would be in serious trouble if we hadn’t! Luckily, we found one of your campsites and went straight back to the canyon figuring out the route you were taking. Prince Branch and King Oak send their hellos! We’re here to escort you to the Mother Troll Tree safely. We are at your service,” he bowed to her and the rest of his squad followed by pressing their right arm over their stomachs and bowing too.

Poppy blinked startled, she still couldn’t believe it. But slowly a big grin was crossing her face as she sensed their sincerity.

The Snack Pack was looking surprised as they took a wary step forward and around Poppy to look at the other trolls.

“Really?” she grinned. “Is Branch alright?” she asked, she knew he was by the strange bond they now shared but she wanted to hear a confirmation.

“Prince Branch was doing just alright last I saw him, your highness,” Robin promised with a smile and nod. “He’s been really worried about you and your friends, that’s why we’re here.”

It was so odd to hear her mate called a Prince, but oddly…she liked it. It suited him!

Poppy smiled and then frowned taken aback. “He talked about us?” she asked and she couldn’t hide her surprise that Branch had actually allowed himself to open up to these trolls after how they had treated them. He may have his colors back but she knew how hard it was to gain his trust not to mention his introverted nature.

“Not at first,” Robin explained with an easy attitude. “But he started opening up to us on our trip thanks to Lieutenant Rose. Isn’t that right Ivy, Mika?” he asked looking at two of his comrades that nodded in confirmation. Robin was looking back already at Poppy. “We’re not so mean, Queen Poppy,” he promised. “I know we gave a bad first impression, it’s just Crown Prince Thistle is…” he trailed off rolling his shoulders in a shrug.

“Mean?” Cooper piped in.

“Prickly?” the twins said unimpressed.

“Scary?” Biggie added.

All the Glade Trolls were making uncomfortable expressions and exchanging looks.

Robin laughed nervously and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess he can be like that sometimes,” he admitted. “But he’s not all that bad, I promise. He just…well…he was…”

“In a bad mood because he found Branch?” Poppy guessed crossing her arms and giving them an irritated look.

“I guess you could say that,” Robin agreed nodding his head as he frowned and scratched one of his pointed ears nervously. “King Oaks wants you to know how sorry he is that we scared you and how Crown Prince Thistle treated you and how we acted. We have to follow orders, you know? We didn’t want to scare you, we’re just kind of used to it…we live a hard life so we don’t always remember not to act intimidating, you know, be nice. So again, we’re sorry,” he promised with an apologetic smile and the other trolls behind him were nodding and looking at her with hope.

Poppy blinked with wonderment as they apologized. She slowly smiled. These trolls really weren’t so different after all, or bad! Even after hearing other frightening stories from the Autumn Trolls…she had a good feeling that they just needed to understand and open up to each other and that was all, that everything so far had just been a missunderstanding.

“It’s alright,” she grinned stepping forward and opening up her arms for a hello hug. “We forgive you, especially if Branch has!” she promised with a gleeful note to her voice.

They stared and gave her odd looks as she stood there with her arms opens.

She frowned awkwardly a moment later and her arms fell to her sides. “Oh…I guess you guys don’t do hello hugs?”

The Glade Trolls exchanged confused looks.

“Um…we don’t…really hug?” Robin shrugged. “I mean sure we hug our friends and family sometimes but…”

The Snack Pack and Poppy gasped together.

“You guys don’t have Hug Time?” Cooper asked horrified.

“Hug Time?” a few of them repeated puzzled.

“Branch is defiantly the Prince of these trolls,” Suki pointed out with a laugh.

Poppy was looking on in disbelief. “Didn’t Branch tell you about Hug Time?”

“I didn’t see Prince Branch hug anyone or talk about hugging,” a female troll with green skin and hair said honestly perplexed.

Robin nodded. “Ivy is right, he really likes his personal space from what I can tell and he was pretty quiet most of the time. Kept mostly to himself until halfway through the trip before he started talking a little more thanks to Rose.”

“That Branch!” Poppy huffed under her breath puffing out her cheeks for a moment. He could be such an introvert even now! Why wasn’t she surprised? In all honesty it made absolute sense, he had been like that for most of his life and it wasn’t going to change just like that especially not around savage strangers just because he had his colors back. She supposed he didn’t seem so introverted to her now since they were so comfortable with each other already and close since they spent so much time together now.

She also wasn’t surprised that Branch wouldn’t hug strangers, but if he became friends with them she expected at least one hug from him! Oh, she was going to shove that Hug Time bracelet on his arm so fast he wouldn’t even be able to blink. It was important to hug after all, he should know that by now! Of course, she wasn’t going to force him to do it but so long as he tried once in a while… Then she remembered she wasn’t trying to change him, he wanted to hug her at least and that was good enough! It made Poppy smile, she was just glad to know he was okay and seemed to be getting along with the Glade Trolls, mostly.

Poppy was suddenly looking up with a brilliant smile and with mischief, she was already counting down in her head.

“Well I think it’s time you learn about Hug Time!” she declared and the moment her sentence was done her Hug Time bracelet dinged. “Hug Time!”

She rushed forward with her arms open wide as did the Snack Pack and the looks of horror the Glade Trolls had was like they were facing some kind of monster. Some of them tried to run away but soon they were all being squashed in a group hug, completely surrounded.

“Um…Queen Poppy?” Robin said uncomfortably as he was squashed in one of her hugs and he was trying to wriggle out. “This is…really weird, your highness. This isn’t protocol! It’s—it’s—”

Poppy giggled and stopped hugging, pulling herself away and the Snack Pack did the same, leaving a lot of the Glade Trolls standing petrified and eyes wide open.

“So, how long until we get there?” Poppy asked cheerily.

Robin looked dazed as he straightened one of his shoulder guards. He looked up and seemed to like her positivity because he was smiling again.

“If we have no delays, by evening tomorrow. If there are delays then by nighttime around dinner,” he explained. “We’ll move faster if you let your troll camels go, their weight will slow down the buzzlbees.”

Poppy was beaming, that was sooner than she had expected! She couldn’t wait to see Branch!

She was worried about releasing the camel trolls, fretting about how they would get home especially through the dangerous canyon. The Glade Trolls assured her they would fine since the camels would take the long way home that they knew was safe. So after removing the packs from the camel’s backs they were freed but not before Grape gave Poppy a big lick across her face that tickled and made her giggle.

Afterwards, they set up to have a quick lunch and Poppy and the gang still had their rations given to them by the Autumn Trolls. Cooper however, almost started picking berries from the bush till Poppy stopped him and pointed out they were deadly nightshade berries. Everyone seemed impressed that she knew that but it was no surprise to her, she had been reading Branch’s survival book every chance she got.

Poppy was intrigued by the strange smelling dry strips of brown the Glade Trolls were eating. She asked what it was and they seemed to be reluctant to tell her but she was persistent. Once they told her it was dry animal meat she stood there frozen for a few long seconds before she passed out from not breathing. That certainly made the entire company frantic.

In the short while she had fallen unconscious her mind had been assaulted by positive, fleeting memories from Branch that confused her. Memories concerning his brother and…music? She swore she heard a familiar song. Then the scene shifted and the visions that followed were filled with a great deal of confusing images and sensations, like she was being kissed and she didn’t like it one bit. Then followed the fright of a battle like she had felt earlier when she had been awake.

She woke up soon afterwards in a few minutes, dizzy and queasy and remembering the dry meat.

“I’m so sorry, Queen Poppy!” Robin fretted. “Prince Branch told us you guys don’t eat animals. That’s why we didn’t want to tell you!”

Poppy tried not to feel nauseated but said it was alright, smiling at how considerate they were thanks to Branch.

They ate lunch afterwards with relative peace and the Glade Trolls were making a big effort to talk to all of them, they seemed very intrigued by them. Apparently, they were not used to mingling with trolls that didn’t have sharp-ears, a concept that very much confused Poppy and the Snack Pack. Robin assured her not to worry, that Prince Branch had changed their minds about how they saw non-sharp-ear trolls.

Poppy was very confused, but happy? It was just confusing really, she didn’t get it. But she was glad by how friendly they were.

DJ Suki and the twins were quickly earning a lot of attention, especially the twins as the Glade Trolls asked impressed questions about the outfits they were wearing which they really liked. When the girls explained how they were made it was obvious they had new admirers that were quickly pitching excited ideas to use with armor.

After lunch was over they set off again. Poppy rode with Robin and each of her friends had a ride with one of the other warriors. Before long Cooper was yelling excited and rapping and the rest of the Snack Pack started singing with their good mood.

Before they all knew it the Glade Trolls were in such a good mood they started a race while doing aerial acrobats with their buzzlbees. Poppy was screaming with excitement as Robin made his buzzlbee do a loop the loop making Poppy hang on tight. She soon was sure she loved flying and racing!

Cooper and Biggie couldn’t say the same when it came to heights and eccentric aerial moves and soon their frightened yelling had their buzzlbee riders laughing and taking it slow. Soon Cooper was insisting they try again however which seemed to confuse yet excite his riding partner.

As they stopped for the night Poppy the Snack Pack tried to help setting up camp, but even with their practice it was hard to keep up with the experienced warriors that insisted the Snack Pack should just relax and rest. They especially insisted that Poppy take it easy, that she didn’t need to do anything as a Queen. Which soon had her in a royal huff and ranting that being a Queen didn’t mean she should get special treatment and as they saw her fiery spirit they didn’t dare argue and let her set up the fire with them.

Soon camp was set up and Poppy walked aside to practice with her spear as usual, Smidge, DJ Suki, and Guy Diamond joined her while the others talked around the fire with the other trolls. As some of the warriors saw Poppy training they were a bit confused and surprised. Soon she had Robin, Ivy and Mika walking up to her.

“Queen Poppy,” Robin interrupted with an apologetic voice. “I thought you’re people didn’t use weapons?”

Poppy stopped in the middle of a pose that thrust the spear forward into a forward stab. She stood straight and smiled happy to answer.

“We don’t,” she admitted. “But ever since…um…” she looked uncomfortable unsure how to explain it without making it seem like she was blaming them as she looked out at the cool evergreen forest consideringly.

“Since we took Prince Branch and had you all surrounded with weapons?” Ivy guessed with a small understanding frown. Poppy swore if it wasn’t for Ivy’s voice she might have confused her for a male troll.

Poppy made an uneasy expression and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Hey! That’s my spear! Where did you get it?” Mika, a very dark purple male troll, suddenly pointed out angrily as he took a step closer to look. “And where did you learn that move?” he added looking at her a bit suspiciously as he spoke a bit harshly. “That right now was Lieutenant Rose’s move, I recognize the move pattern.”

Robin smacked Mika’s shoulder and shot him a glare and frown.

“Hey!” Mika complained with a pained grunt, glaring back.

“Don’t be rude, Mika! You’re talking to a Queen and Prince Branch’s mate,” Robin growled. “And you lost that spear, dropped it right off the back of your buzzlbee if I remember right.”

Mika shot his leader a sullen expression as Queen Poppy blushed as they called her Branch’s mate.

“I’m sorry. Branch found it on our way to our old village. Would you like it back?” she offered, taking a step forward and presenting the spear.

“No, you keep it,” Robin said as Mika opened his mouth to reply.

Mika shot Robin a sour look but then sighed. “It’s fine,” he grumbled finally. “I got another spear. But how did you learn that move?” he insisted.

Robin punched Mika again and glared at him hard making Mika growl back.

Poppy tried to smile and ease the tension. “Actually, Branch and I are soul mates. Ever since he came with you guys I’ve been having dreams, well memories I guess, of his training with Rose. So I’ve been practicing what he’s been learning.”

Mika’s grumpy expression changed to one of shock as did Robin’s and Ivy’s, who were oohing with the information.

“Really? That’s amazing! Prince Branch didn’t tell us,” Robin said a bit surprised.

Poppy’s smile suddenly grew a little anxious as she wondered if she shouldn’t have shared that. But why would she hide it? Maybe Branch hadn’t shared it because it was private and new to them both? She just hoped that was the case.

“Well,” Robin continued, now grinning. “We started helping with his training when Rose would let us, I only got to spar with him once. Your form is a little off, Queen Poppy. If you’d like, I can help train you guys. That is…if you don’t mind,” he suddenly gulped afraid he had presumed too much.

“We would love the help!” Poppy beamed.

“Yeah!” Smidge agreed shoving her wooden staff in the air.

“I want to help too,” Ivy added with an excited smile. “Let me get some real spears for you guys,” she said looking at Suki, Guy, and Smidge.

“I’ll get them,” Mika offered and turned away before he could be told otherwise.

Poppy and her friends spent almost an hour training with Ivy and Robin while Mika watched and sketched in a sketchbook he had pulled out of his hair. He kept looking up constantly, his eyes drifting over them before he got back to his drawing with a serious frown.

After that they went to sleep bushed.

That night, Poppy’s dreams were nightmares, dark visions of hundreds of troll children being swallowed by darkness or black shadowy fire. She could hear their names being echoed along with their screams and her heart ached with the horrifying sight as she tried to run to them but she could never reach them. High above blotting out the moonlight was a towering shadow with blistering red eyes.

Then the dreamscape changed and before her gleamed a sword and she could feel Branch’s presence. Now he was standing beside her. Throughout the dream she had felt his sorrow, his fear, his sense of betrayal and guilt…and now all those emotions seemed intensified with the sword and shadow before them along with doubt.

The next day she woke up feeling rather gloomy but smiled nonetheless as they took care of cleaning up camp before setting out. They left early in the twilight dawn that weakly glowed among the woods and soft whistling of birds.

 

* * *

 

Rose couldn’t shake the disturbing feeling from her body as she rode in the back of the formation on her buzzlbee along the usual designated flight path through the ancient forest.  Typically she would be ridding on the right side of her prince while Carter took his left. Today neither of them were riding beside their prince, in fact, Markus was ridding at Thistle’s right and an elite guard was flanking his left. Their dark armor was far heavier and blunt in style to the regular uniform.

After they left yesterday Rose had been plagued by bad worries. Why had Thistle brought along the elite guards? And the ones most loyal to him from previous battles too… Surely, tusk wolves had never been too hard to get rid of with a regular contingent of warriors no matter how big the beasts were.

And Thistle…

Thistle was acting more like the Thistle she knew before Branch’s presence had made his suppressed anger come out. He was calm, distant, cold, quiet, and brooding…but something about him was a lot colder and harsher than she remembered. He hadn’t said a single word since they left but she could feel it, the chill in the air around him. It’s was like walking next to a volcano that appeared serene on the surface but underneath was filled with roiling magma and ready to erupt at any moment, she could sense it even flying ten feet behind him. In some way she was glad she was not right next to him but it didn’t reduce her tension.

Rose scanned the forest floor once more and still she saw no signs of tracks, broken branches, caught fur…nothing. No signs of tusk wolves and her suspicions got even stronger. What was going on?

“Rose.”

Her right ear twitched as she heard Carter speak as quietly as he could over the wind to her.

She turned her eyes away from the forest and to him. The big blue troll was frowning, his wide armor gleaming in the weak light.

“Something is wrong, isn’t it?” he asked.

Rose grimaced. “I don’t know…” she admitted casting a sharp gaze ahead at her prince and the billowing leaf cape fluttering behind him.

“Something is off with Crown Prince Thistle,” Moss added to her left, sounding worried.

Rose nodded reluctantly with agreement, a hard nod that wasn’t easy to admit.

“I have a bad feeling, guys… I don’t know what’s going on but we need to be on our guard.”

“I haven’t seen any signs of tusk wolves,” Holly called behind her. She was usually one of their most reliable eagle-eyed scouts and a sniper with her bow. If she saw nothing amiss than Rose knew her suspicion feelings and observations were definitely right.

“Neither have I,” Rose agreed grimly and they all fell silent once again.

It was too quiet, it had been quiet since they left the Mother Troll Tree, since they set up camp last night, and set out this morning.

It was almost lunch time when the first line of the formation slowed down to a stop. Rose tugged on the reigns of her buzzlbee and slowed it down as the middle line reached their prince and then her line stopped right behind them.

Thistle made a simple hand gesture, and Markus nodded and turned back.

“Split up and look for any signs of the scouts. Line one will look north past the stream. Line two the west ridge no farther than then the great moss boulders. Line three, check the east where there is the entrance to the Deadstump Bunker is,” he called. “Everyone will meet at the Deadstump Bunker in half an hour.”

Rose grimaced as she nodded as the squad and they split up. Now it was just her, Moss, Ivy, and Carter as they banked to the left towards the east, now they no longer traveled southbound. She felt a hard lump in her stomach.

Deadstump Bunker was a common stopping point for scouting parties and the bunker was supplied year round for emergencies and traveling parties and even trading caravans to and from their kingdom.

It took them only twenty minutes flying through the forest to reach it and still no sign of any tusk wolves.

They soon reached the ancient stump, a giant burnt stump ripped by years of weather and rain. It was half of a giant tree still partially twisting up into the sky. At its base was twisting roots with a hollow that led into the underground bunker. Outside lined up she recognized a squad of buzzlbees and just off by the entrance of the hollow into the tree with a group of trolls she recognized and didn’t know except for the Queen.

They were alright! Rose wanted to grin but then looked around suspiciously. Nothing.

With a forward gesture she and her squad descended, a sharp bird whistle came from somewhere below and she recognized the alert call from one of her own people.

Robin was soon standing before the bunker waiting for the lieutenant to land.

“Rose!” he called with a friendly and happy smile. He was the friendliest of their group but was also a very good leader and warrior when he was serious. “What are you doing here?” he asked as Rose slipped off her mount.

“Crown Prince Thistle brought a squad to make sure Queen Poppy and her friends arrived safely,” she explained and she spoke with an urgent rush. “We received a report that a pack of tusk wolves has invaded the area.”

The rest of the trolls had stood up and gotten closer to listen, even the round-ears Rose didn’t recognize.

Poppy immediately recognized her but stood back as the two warriors spoke.

“Tusk wolves?” Robin repeated confused. “We haven’t seen neigh or hair of a tusk wolf on our way here. Not even tracks. No signs at all. Are you sure that report was right?” he asked concerned.

“No…” Rose grimaced and she looked at Queen Poppy. She took a closer look at the Queen for the first time in daylight and Rose had to admit the pink troll had a charming and rather adorable appearance even when her face was serious. She could see why Branch fancied her even if he had not told Rose in private about his special bond with Poppy.

“Hello, Queen Poppy,” Rose stepped forward with a friendly smile and bowed to her. “I am Lieutenant Rose of the Glade Trolls and to Crown Prince Thistle and Prince Branch’s personal body guard. I want to say it’s a pleasure to officially meet you.”

Poppy was taken aback by the formal greeting and was confused by the information. But despite how this troll had held a dagger to her throat at one point she didn’t feel nervous or scared. She easily remembered the friendly feelings and trust Branch had developed looking at Rose in the dreams Poppy had shared from him.

She smiled and walked forward opening her hands and arms as if she wanted a hug.

“Hi, no need to be so serious! Can I call you, Rose?” she asked brightly. “You can just call me, Poppy. I want to say thanks for being such a good friend to Branch. I saw you in a lot of the dreams I get from him…” then she pouted and scowled before Rose could react. “But did you really need to hit him so hard all the time? I’ve been waking up sore every morning!” she complained but with good-humor.

Rose straight up shocked, surprised and caught off guard by Poppy’s easy friendliness and kindness. For a moment she recalled Branch mentioning the strange dreams, he had only talked to about it just the other day. She stared speechless and Poppy smiled more widely and kept talking.

“I want us to be friends, too,” she insisted and reached forward grabbing Rose’s hands. “I feel like I already know you! Think you can be my friend too?”

Rose blinked, frozen as Queen Poppy held her hands. An emotional smile then broke across Rose’s face as she took an unsteady breath. Branch was right, Poppy was something special indeed. She felt such a great sense of relief with just Poppy’s natural kindness and positive nature.

“I would love that, Queen Po—I mean, Poppy,” she corrected herself with a small laugh. She got serious a moment later, a guilty and worried frown on her face. “I want to tell you sorry though, for what happened back at your old village. I can’t tell you how bad I feel about that… Did I hurt you?”

Poppy surprised Rose as she pulled her into a hug, making Rose gasp. “I’m fine! I was scared, I admit, but I can’t stay mad at you. I understand you were following orders,” she insisted and squeezed her new friend for a moment before letting her go but returned to holding her hands. “Besides, how can I not like one of Branch’s friends? It practically makes us family!”

A smile crossed Rose’s face and she was pleasantly surprised and delighted indeed. She knew that not everyone born into royalty made a natural or good ruler but she could easily see Poppy was one of the rare few. Special started to feel like it didn’t cover it when it came to Poppy and Branch.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Rose breathed feeling a weight finally come off her shoulders. Ever since she had become friends with Branch the guilt had been bothering her and she was glad she finally had the opportunity to fix it.

“And sorry about hurting Branch every day, even though that’s part of the training,” Rose teased. “But he didn’t tell me it hurt you too. I mean he mentioned something about sharing emotions and feelings but not the pain,” she admitted with a small frown looking Poppy over as if she was looking for wounds. She took notice of Poppy’s other friends coming up behind their queen to watch.

“Oh, it’s alright, it hasn’t been that bad,” Poppy insisted falling into a conversation easily. “I’ve been learning from you too through him in the dreams. I mean, I don’t remember what you say in them but…it’s like I just somehow know, you know? Like I’m absorbing it from Branch and I just understand through him. So I guess that means you’ve been my teacher too so far,” she grinned still not letting go of Rose’s hands.

Rose was stiff again, staring shocked. Branch certainly hadn’t told her about that bit either! Or maybe he wasn’t even aware of it? She did know he had been trying harder to not get hit or cut during training and Rose realized it wasn’t even to protect himself but an effort to protect Poppy from pain.

Rose had so many questions but she knew she didn’t have time. She had an ominous feeling ridding up her spine.

“I have so many more questions and things I want to tell you Poppy, but we have to go. Like, right now,” Rose said grimly taking her hands back and turning a sharp glare over the trees.

“What’s wrong, Rose?” Robin asked before Poppy could speak and he looked over his tense comrades noticing Moss, Holly, and Carter looked just as on edge.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But something has been wrong with Thistle since—” suddenly the hair on her head prickled and a sense of danger rushed across her skin. “Watch out!” she yelled shoving her way in front of Poppy without a second thought and drawing her sword.

Arrows thudded into the ground, each one a loud splitting of the soil as metal shafts buried their way inside and like coordinated rain showered around the group to fence them in.

Holly and Moss were already at Rose’s side, in front of the queen and their bow and crossbow drawn, nocked, and aimed towards the trees. Carter already had his large heavy war hammer drawn by his side and the other warriors had rushed forward with weapons at the ready, scanning the trees with their eyes.

Blistering shapes shot out of the tree, leaves scattering into the air to obscure their view and the warriors were frozen, especially Rose as she recognized this tactic.

“Freeze!” bellowed a commanding voice from above and Rose’s heart sunk as she recognized the voice with a dark edge in it that sent her blood running cold.

The other warriors stiffened and lowered their weapons confused.

The wind was wiping around and as the leaves settled, twenty more buzzlbees were already landed before them. The elite guard with their dark almost black armor stood just behind the arrows in the ground, spears and swords at the ready and the archers behind them with drawn bows.

“Lieutenant Rose, Robin, seize the trespassers,” Thistle commanded with a cold voice as he stepped forward without his weapon drawn, his foot breaking one of the arrows in his way. “By order of the King and your Crown Prince, tie up the prisoners.”

Rose lowered her weapon as Poppy gasped with her friends and they pressed together fearfully.

Robin was dumbstruck and frozen but Rose was not.

“What are you doing, Thistle?!” she demanded forgoing all formality as her confusion boiled with fear and rage. “Why are you doing this? King Oak wouldn’t make an order like that!” she accused.

Emotion finally seemed to play across Thistle’s otherwise plain face and the look he had was of mad cynical pleasure.

“Are you refusing to obey me, Lieutenant?”

Rose didn’t think twice as she spat out. “Yes!”

Thistle grinned, pulling out his blade. “Seize them.”

The line of sword wielding elite guards suddenly rushed forward with Thistle in the lead.

A battle cry ripped past Rose’s throat and she shot forward. Carter bellowed and was right on her heels, rushing forward and his hammer ready to swing.

Poppy watched in horror pulling her spear in front of her and she didn’t have time to think. She let out an angry cry of her own and ran into the fray too with Smidge right behind her. Suki and Guy hesitated before they rushed in still holding their spears. Cooper, Satin and Chenille were frozen and Biggie screamed running the other way with Fuzzbert.

Robin and his group were frozen. Until Mika rushed forward and with his spear stopped Biggie and Fuzzbert in their tracks with a grim and hard expression.

“Don’t hurt us!” Biggie wailed hugging Mr. Dinkles close to his chest and Fuzzbert huddled close to Biggie’s leg.

The other warriors seemed to make up their mind in that instant and suddenly the rest of the Snack Pack was surrounded by spears pointed their way. Only Robin and Ivy still stood nearby looking uncertain.

But the trolls rushing forward didn’t realize what was happening behind them.

Poppy froze, gasping as trolls went flying in the air with a single massive swing of Carter’s hammer. With a resounding clapping of metal, three of the guards were flung through the air as the big troll roared and rushed for two more.

Rose’s blood was rushing when her blade kissed the metal of Thistle’s sword and rang out. The metal screeched, slashing downward as she sliced to the right, her heart tearing with self-betrayal. She had to protect Poppy! She had made a promise to Branch.

But as she saw the crazed smile on Thistle’s face she wasn’t sure it was the troll she loved anymore. She hardened herself and focused on the fight and held nothing back.

Vaulting, rolling, dancing with the fire of battle she threw an onslaught of attacks towards Thistle and even picked up a second dropped sword she ran past. He blocked her moves at first till her pace had changed and harshened and he realized she wasn’t holding back when the second sword flew into the fray. Her moves became a dancing of cutting as she surprised her with a skill he had never seen her use before.

It was becoming dangerous and fast. Within a minute his shield was already heavily dented with slices and some part of him was terrified yet thrilled in a new way by her ferocity. But the blackness kept his emotions at bay and buried, and kept him focused. The sound of her swords hacking away rang clear over the fighting.

Thistle’s dark turquoise hair shot forward after parrying a blow only for red hair to meet his, coil, and yank to the side and a blade coming down on his face.

Too late it seemed and the stinging slashed down his brow and sliced downward into his cheek. Thistle didn’t flinch, flinging and yanking his hair back and making Rose tumble forward and smack into his shield.

She froze looking into icy eyes and a sharp dark smile.

_Wait._

Something wasn’t right. Thistle should have been able to avoid that blow. No one she knew had better or such natural control like second nature over their hair in a fight like Thistle. Not even her. Only Branch so far had been proving he could rival his brother in that area.

Horror washed over her as she realized Thistle had _wanted_ her to injure him. _It was a trap._

“Looks like you figured something out,” Thistle jeered amused before suddenly drawing his shield back and slamming it into her chest.

Rose gasped loudly and painfully as the air was knocked out of her and she hit the ground, dropping her swords.

“Rose! Auuugh!” Carter suddenly cried out and toppled over, a spear shaft embedded into the back of his right shoulder as he dropped his hammer. As he fell to his knees, cupping his shoulder, the spear’s weight tore itself out, carving and renting the armor along with his flesh. Blood trickled out of his wound as he fell forward into the grass, panting with agony.

Smidge was already pinned down as was Suki and Guy by one of the Elite guards and being tied. They had been no match and had quickly been subdued. Moss and Holly had dropped their weapons after they saw Rose and Carter fall.

Poppy was still standing frozen but she knew they had no chance of victory once she had glanced back and noticed the other warriors had turned on them. Seeing Rose now on the ground and two guards rushing forward and grabbing each of her arms to tie them, Poppy knew it was over.

She swallowed, pink eyes wide as two armor covered trolls stood before her with their spears pointed at her face. Poppy dropped her spear at her feet and they withdrew their weapons from her face. One stepped forward and she grunted as she was shoved down on her knees. Her arms yanked back and rope was twisted tightly around her wrists, burning and scrapping across her skin.

She looked around feeling hopeless and scared. What would happen now?

Her tied up friends were dragged forward and Rose was shoved beside her still looking disoriented from the bashing she had endured from Thistle’s shield. There was even a long shallow cut on one of her cheeks, still bleeding, otherwise she was unwounded.

“Rose!” Poppy cried out looking down at the dark red troll with worry.

Rose blinked her green eyes a few times before she groaned and rolled over onto her knees. She ignored Poppy and shot a withering glare at Thistle. She balked a moment later as she saw the shade of his skin wash out slowly like rain over a painting, revealing black skin and hair. The few cuts on his arms almost became invisible with the blackness of his skin if it weren’t for the sunlight making the blood glow and shine with glaring crimson.

Everyone gasped, staring. Except the elite guards that remained emotionless as they dragged a tied up Carter forward after ripping off his chest plate and inadequately bandaging his shoulder.

Rose’s heart sunk.

Poppy stared on with horror. She had never seen a black troll before, much less heard of one. Staring at Thistle was more daunting and painful then it had ever seemed staring at a grey Branch. Everything about the sight was wrong and she felt her heart beat painfully with the sight, almost able to sense Thistle’s pain.

Rose however was not so innocent to the sight.

“Thistle!” she cried out, choking painfully on her own voice. “Please! You can still stop this! Don’t let anger turn you black. Don’t let it corrupt your heart,” she begged tears suddenly in her eyes as she understood the sudden dark turn in his behavior. “Please…”

Thistle sneered as he opened a pouch on his side and pulled out a vial with glittering rainbow colored liquid swirling inside.

“It’s nothing against you, Rose. And it’s not just rage, there a good fair bit amount of hate in the equation,” he said popping the cork before swigging the vial’s contents with one gulp.

Anger? Hate? Poppy never realized those emotions could exist so strongly in a troll and that this…was the result.

Thistle let out a satisfied gasp, crushing the bottle and tossing the shards into the grass. Slowly color began to swirl back to the surface of his skin, masking, shrouding the black.

“You don’t have to hate Branch!” Rose yelled back, the tears staining her cheeks as she glared and tried to persuade him. “There’s no reason to, Thistle! Please, listen to me! He didn’t kiss Azalea first, is that why you’re so mad? You don’t need to be jealous!”

 _Wait! What!?_  Poppy thought with sudden shock, looking at Rose. Just who had kissed **_her_** Branch!?

Thistle let out a cynical laugh as he sheathed his sword. “My anger isn’t with Branch, Rose. Not at all, in fact I’m doing this to protect him just like our mother wanted,” he sneered, a dark and hateful expression crossing his face. “No, all of this is for King Oak. He wants to make Branch the next King! Can you believe it? He wants Branch to take his place and keep sacrificing little trolls, can you believe just what a wonderful father he is?” he asked letting out a hoarse laugh and doubling over as he let it out.

He stood straight back up, rubbing his eye free of a tear and the blood leaking down and over his left eye, smearing the warm liquid down his face.

“Alright, maybe I am a little angry with Branch too,” he admitted as he pulled out a glowing red flask next from his pouch. “In fact, this little present is for you and him, Queen Poppy,” he rumbled walking forward till he was but an inch from her.

Poppy stared up at him, feeling the color starting to drain from her skin as he loomed over her like a shadow.

“If you kill her you’ll kill your brother too!” Rose seethed angrily, suddenly trying to squirm forward only for one of the guards to grab her bindings and hold her back.

“Kill her?” Thistle echoed amused. “Oh no, no, no. Nothing so drastic Rose. Why would I want my brother to know I killed her? If I do that he’ll know it, isn’t that right your highness?” he asked turning his black smile to Poppy. “It is after all one of the strange little quirks of being soul mates, am I not right? If you die while your bond exists, not only will he feel it, he’ll know how it happened. But if it’s gone while you’re still both alive… I can paint any miserable ending I like for you and tell him how you and all your friends died, eaten alive by tusk wolves, and he will never know it’s a lie,” he chuckled amused, fingering Poppy’s chin so she stared up at him. Poppy glared back challengingly, angrily yet terrified most of all. “How I bravely tried to save you…but it was too late. And how his poor new friends died trying to save you…”

Rose stared with silent horror as Thistle revealed his ploy. This couldn’t be happening! This twisted black troll wasn’t the honorable Thistle she knew!

“Such a pity that you two don’t really know everything about your bond, isn’t it?” Thistle asked amused, softly. “But don’t worry, your highness, I don’t want to kill you. I just want to see my father lose everything he’s been looking for as he watches Branch crumble into despair and turns grey just like him. So I’ll keep you alive, for now…”

Poppy gulped with eyes wide as she stared at the dark prince. She didn’t know everything about the bond, she only knew what the stories said and she didn’t know what was even true about them. But she knew this was all mad! Twisted! Cruel! Was this what a black troll was like? Dangerous and consumed by only their worst kind of pain and emotions? How could she reach Branch to warn him? Was there any way than just drowning him with her emotions as she already did unintentionally? Her hear was breaking, breaking with just the idea of what this would do to her mate and breaking to see what a pitiful creature his brother had become.

The cork popped from the bottle, echoing in the silence as it tumbled and rolled on the blood stained grass. Someone suddenly yanked back at her hair and Poppy yelped as her head was pulled back. She gasped as fingers suddenly pinched her nose shut and something cold was shoved into her mouth. Icy liquid splashed into her mouth and making her sputter, she tried to thrash but the grip was too strong.

“Poppy!”

She could hear the muffled yell of her friends as she tried to squirm, tried not to swallow. But her lungs were burning, begging for air. The cold pit in her stomach felt so tight she felt she might throw up. Her every muscle cramping for release before the fear to live, to breathe, took over and she swallowed. Her body was gasping to get just a single breath of air and to stop the paralyzing pain and sense of eminent death from claiming her body and striking her with the fear to struggle to live.

The burning cold sizzled down her throat and landed heavily in her stomach, radiating and seeping through her. She swallowed hard and fast, her heart racing and her mind started to blur as her lungs screamed for air and she coughed, choking.

Suddenly she was gasping, coughing, sucking in mouthfuls of fresh sweet oxygen down her throat into her agonized lungs.

She fell forward as her hair was released and landed on the ground heaving.

Then pain suddenly had her eyes flying wide open as she sucked in a painful breath and found that she could not even scream.

The cold rippling sensation was tearing through her body, toward a white burning fire deep inside… She felt the chill lance through her brain and almost feel like it was shooting through every fiber of her hair and body.

Suddenly the flame was snuffed out by a fierce and fiery tide. Black, cold, and dark she felt her world become, like the floor had collapsed under her reality. Her heart plummeting into a desolate and lonely abyss, alone in a way it had never felt before in her life. A loneliness she didn’t even know could have even existed to being with, so damning it swallowed her whole without remorse.

Branch’s presence, the beautiful light that had burned inside and slowly grown since they had kissed…was suddenly gone.

Branch was gone.

She couldn’t feel him. She couldn’t feel the constant soft tugging that led her toward him. The quiet tether that had soldered their hearts and emotions into one powerful and beautiful binding, that let them share their fears and their joys. The constant knowledge and sensation that let her know he was alright, alive and well…

It was all gone.

Poppy started to sob, loud and in emotional pain with the sudden loss like something worse than her arm or leg being ripped off from her body. The pain reached deep into her soul and didn’t let her even breathe or her heart beat without constant agony.

“Branch…!” she blubbered, tasting salty tears on her lips. “No! No!!!” she screamed as her friends stared on in horror. She started to wheeze, her eyes closing as she wailed quietly. “Nooo! Branch! Please, no! Come…back…please…come back…”

Blackness soon followed as she fell unconscious and for the first time in weeks she was alone with only her soul and frayed emotions residing in her empty dreams. The rawness of sorrow didn’t even give her the mercy of a dreamless slumber.

 


	22. White and Cold as Winter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Do not read this chapter if you suffer from a heart condition.
> 
>  
> 
> My wonderful readers, I know you will not be too happy at the end of this chapter. But be consoled that I will not make you suffer longer. I will be updating tomorrow or the day after to provide you some relief, I am not utterly heartless or evil for that matter. I did promise a Broppy reunion, didn't I? But my triangle of symbolism is complete now when it comes to colors and trolls! Though you guys won't thank me for it, I am sure. But believe me I broke my own heart writing this so you are not alone. Don't give up! I did promise a happy ending, right? Hold on to some hope! Go ahead and vent anyways, your wonderful comments are the breath I breathe and is the only reason I will not be making you wait long for the next chapter and the comfort and reunion you've all been waiting and asking for! (Yes, I absolutely have seen a few of you mention your misery in the comments of Betrothed.)

* * *

 

Soft knocking against wood had Branch waking with a start and a quiet groan.

His face felt sore and his jaw was tense and there was a stiffness clinging to his back. Looking down he realized he had fallen asleep on his desk, over his journal which had a spot of drool on the edge of the page. He was surprised he had somehow managed to fall asleep in such an uncomfortable place but after how dreary his thoughts had been last night it had been a relief to just fall asleep at all.

He rubbed his jaw, trying to rid himself of the soreness before it popped and the crunching grated through his teeth and up into his skull to ring awfully in his ear. He let out a slightly pained moan and shoved the seat back. With a huff he stood up and pressed his hands into his back and it cracked, making him sigh with relief.

He didn’t bother straightening his shirt or his hair. It was too early in the morning and he didn’t much care for looking well-kept at this hour…well, not that early as he looked at the clock. His eyes widened as he saw the time and for a moment he realized he was late for training! Then he remembered Rose had left with Thistle yesterday as the shock cleared up and sharped his mind to alertness.

Who was at his door then? It would be rude to keep them waiting, he supposed…but he honestly still didn’t want to talk to anyone. Even this morning he wanted to be alone more than anything after yesterday.

He walked over and noticed he still had the mountains of gifts next to his desk. He had to get rid of them today, Poppy should be arriving today. That thought alone lifted his spirits a little. Although, he admitted he had opened some of the boxes of chocolates and started snacking on them in the past few days… Chocolate was one of his rare and favorite sweets and it happened to be nutritious too, what was not to like? He had about twenty-seven large boxes stored in his bunker for ‘emergencies’.

Arriving before the door his fingers wrapped around the knob and turned it, the door creaking quietly and Branch was caught a bit by surprise by the sight of the other troll.

“Morning, cousin!” greeted a bright fern green troll with purple hair in royal armor with one of those orotund voices that seemed to echo in ones ears. “Wow, did I wake you up? Sorry about that, I just brought a message from Uncle Oak, uh, I mean King Oak. Ya know, your dad?”

Thankfully a yawn stopped from a bored and unimpressed expression from making Branch’s face scrunch up with sarcastic displeasure. He covered his mouth and let out the heavy exhale of air and felt the satisfied shivers run into chest.

“Morning, Rowan,” he muttered back, and his voice sounded most unenthused. Obviously his sullen mood had not improved and his skin even looked duller in shade. “What is it?” he asked finding it strange and ironic to have the one upbeat troll to wake him after the dreary night he had. Branch was trying his best not to sound unfriendly but sincerely his voice had regained its grey cast of his old days as a grey troll.

“King Oak wants you to join us for breakfast,” he explained with a smile, completely unbothered or oblivious to Branch’s mood. “Or if you don’t want he said that someone can bring breakfast over. But he really would like you to come. So would my dad and big sis,” he added excitedly.

Branch frowned and looked away for a moment. He didn’t want to be around his family right now, and even after the conversation he had with his dad yesterday… Branch just wasn’t in the mood to face him, he was still feeling unhinged.

“Can I just have breakfast in my room? I have some things to work on…” he muttered, deflecting the invitation.

Rowan frowned looking surprised and looked Branch over with concern. “Alright, cuz, if that’s what you want… But your dad would like you to come for lunch at least. He says your grandma wants to really talk to you about somethin’ important.”

Ugh. Rowan’s voice and colloquial diction was going to drive him insane in short order.

“Yeah, sure,” Branch muttered, anything to get the troll to shut up and go away.

Rowan grinned and nodded to him. “Alright, see ya later cuz…”

Branch started to close the door before he felt something stump against the wood and stop it. Branch arched an eyebrow and stared at his cousin questioningly.

Rowan suddenly looked nervous as he cleared his voice, his bright green cheeks turning red. “Um…Branch, you’re good friends with Rose, right?” he asked with a shy smile.

Branch frowned and turned his body back towards the troll. “Yes. Why?”

“Well, I…uh…” he coughed nervously and then suddenly he had the most zany smile Branch had ever seen in his life, it was downright idiotic looking. “I was wondering if she told you if she…well that is, I wanna ask ya if you think she might be interested in me?” he finally asked looking hopefully at Branch with starry eyes.

Branch felt his mouth go slack as he stared. What kind of conversation was this so early in the morning? He felt his mouth tighten and he tried to relax his face, but after a second he groaned and gave up trying and his voice came out sharp and frank.

“Look Rowan, I don’t know. But I can tell you she probably won’t be interested. She already has feelings for someone else. And the feelings…are pretty strong. I’m not sure she’d be interested right now in anyone else.”

“Oh,” Rowan said looking crestfallen, his ears even drooping. “I see. Well, thank anyways, cousin,” he said with a small smile and nod of his head before he turned away.

Branch sighed and some part of him berated himself for not comforting his cousin or being friendlier for that matter. But Branch was in no state to even comfort himself at the moment. So he closed the door to his room without a second glance back.

He was greeted by silence as he stared at the ceiling for a moment. Absently he realized he liked living inside the tree palace, it was much like his bunker and it felt secure unlike the pods that hung from the branches on the Troll Tree. And the light wasn’t intense like in the pods or absolutely void in his bunker, it was a nice balance of the two. He wasn’t sure how he was going to manage when he got back home. Then he remembered waking up with Poppy in his arms and he knew he would be okay.

With a faint smile after thinking about his mate he went off and took a shower and got dressed. Breakfast was delivered soon afterwards and Branch spent the first half of the day just writing in his journal in the silence. It was a welcome relief to the usual bustle and activity of the past two weeks. It was good to be alone again…but it was lonely more than ever.

Rather than improving his melancholy mood it seemed to worsen it till he got angry and frustrated with his own mood. He tried everything. He nitpicked at the details of the scrapbook gift he had made for Poppy. He tried to write her a poem and ended writing something dark instead about battles and screaming trolls… That really got him upset and as a result he started binge eating chocolate pieces and staring sullenly at the wall. That was until he bit a strange one that didn’t taste like caramel…

He stared at the piece of chocolate in his hand and saw…a shiny roasted leg of an insect and the thorax he had bitten off. He had never moved so fast in his life as he jumped out of his seat and rushed into his bathroom to retch.

Who in the hair did that!? Make insects covered in chocolate!?

He was heaving for a good five minutes before the stomach bile finally settled down and he felt even worse than he had earlier. He groaned over the toilet and moved to the sink only to see his pale reflection on the glass. Washing his face and mouth he walked back out to his room and glared at the disgusting gift noticing the entire box was filled with the chocolate covered monstrosities. He sure as all the hair in the world didn’t want any chocolate now! He hoped it didn’t ruin his favorite treat for him permanently.

Not to mention it was time for lunch. He straightened his clothes and put on the metal circlet made of enfolding metal branches with real leaves decorating the metal edges and the kingdom's crest held up in the middle on his brow. It was a gift his father had given him to be worn as one of the princes of the Glade Trolls when he wasn’t wearing his armor. It almost reminded him of Poppy’s bandana except this one went over his forehead and circled back behind his ears and not to mention the material was vastly different.

Branch couldn’t claim he had an appetite as he left the room even after his stomach had been emptied. As he reached the dining room on the lower floor he had to admit it was good to be out of his room, out of the loneliness and his excitement started to build. When would Poppy arrive today? He knew he was going to race to her without a care in the world as to who was watching. He was going to grab her, hug her as tight as he could, and kiss her…he flushed as he realized the last part but all of it was honestly what he wanted to do the moment he could finally touch her again. His heart was racing as he felt the yanking inside his body get stronger as she got closer with every hour that passed by.

He pushed the tall giant wooden door open of the dining room and was greeted by a relieved and delighted expression of his father already seated.

“Branch! You came,” he greeted loudly. King Oak even sounded brighter than he had in previous days. “I was worried you might miss out again,” he admitted with an understanding yet guilty expression.

Branch smiled and walked towards the end of the table where his father and grandmother sat.

He reached old queen Maple first, a troll with autumn orange skin and rufescent hair like the red fallen leaves on old oak streaked heavily with silver and white tied up in a neat bun with a band made of leaves and small red flowers.

“Hello, Grandmother,” he greeted bending forward and giving the old troll a kiss on the cheek.

Maple turned up and adjusted her rectangular wooden frames and smiled softly, just a bit.

“Hello, Branch,” she greeted with a kindly voice but then the sternness returned to her tone. “Sit, I want to talk to you.”

Branch frowned and stood a little straighter. His grandmother on his father’s side was intimidating and he didn’t hesitate to pull the seat out next to her and take his place. He remembered to sit straight and roll his shoulders back when he was in her presence. She looked him over and was smiling with great satisfaction as she took note of his posture.

King Oak chuckled at first before it became a groan afterwards as she shook his head with sympathy at the sight.

“You sit up straight too!” Maple suddenly snapped turning her glaring orange gaze on her son. “You ought to learn a thing from the boy! Do you want a bad back?” she growled from her ironically hunched position.

“Mother…” King Oak complained rolling his eyes as he leaned forward and put his elbow on the table to prop his head up.

“And take your arm off the table!” she snapped impatiently.

King Oak grumbled and reluctantly pulled his elbow off the table just to end her nagging. Branch smirked from where he sat meeting his father’s eyes. King Oak only smiled and shrugged as if saying ‘What can you do? Moms will be moms.’

Maple let out a satisfied breathy grunt and turned back to Branch.

“Now, my grandson, what I have to tell you is very important,” she murmured seriously.

Branch stared at her intently and nodded once.

The doors of the kitchen opened up and the kitchen staff began to bring out dishes, filling the air with the heady and mouthwatering aroma of their cooking. But no one paid them attention today.

“I hear you finally found out about the Umbragon,” she started grimly and Branch frowned hating the topic already. He had been hoping to get away from it, not hear more. “I told him not to be pigheaded and tell you from the start, but he wouldn’t listen,” she scoffed and from over her shoulder the king rolled his eyes again. “Male trolls can be so foolish sometimes!” she suddenly coughed crankily. “Thankfully you got some wits about you, my boy. I could tell the moment I met you.”

Branch smiled and had to hold down a laugh as King Oak gawked and stared at his own mother in disbelief with that comment. He even picked up his hands and gestured at her incredulously.

“At least your father was doing it to protect you,” she continued and reached over. One of her feeble hands grasping Branch’s left hand, the touch was warm and soft even with age and trembled ever so slightly. “But he should have trusted you sooner, though I can see why he was afraid to,” she sighed looking down at Branch’s hand then up into his blue eyes. “Did you read all the names in the records?”

Branch swallowed and nodded once mutely.

“I see…” she mumbled. “Did you notice anything in particular?” she asked shrewdly with a sharp and tracking looking in her eyes.

“That the royal family has lost a child almost every generation?” Branch asked with a hard tone. Yes, he had certainly noticed that.

Maple made a sound of agreement deep in her chest as she nodded. “Yes, we have,” she agreed with a soft wheeze. “Before you were chosen the last royal child to be chosen…” she paused, her free hand gripping at her knitted dress and the other squeezing Branch’s hand as she trembled.

Branch fretted and placed his other hand on top her hers to calm her quaking.

“It’s alright grandma, I know. You don’t have to say it,” he soothed with a strong yet soft voice.

“I do,” she suddenly sighed and with the exhale her shivering stopped as her eyes grew hard as she looked at Branch. “The last royal child to be chosen before you was my youngest son and your father and uncle’s youngest brother. Prince Pine, and it was cruel… He was already old enough to know what it meant to be alive, to know what he wanted in life to be happy. He was such a sweet boy, Branch, he had no fire in him to hate or hurt others. He was the stark contrast to his two older brothers and everyone loved him. He was sweet and innocent and beloved.”

Branch grimaced and glanced over at his father who had a dark and lost expression on his face as he stared down at a bowl of soup that had been set before him.

“And the beast chose him,” she sobbed, her voice cracking with age old pain. Branch turned back to her, his hands rubbing her hand and making little circles on the back of her hand. Anything to calm her down, he could feel his heart breaking.

“It hurt so much to see my little boy so scared and his two older brothers so angry they tried to pull out the sword again and I had to act braver than all of them, their mother. They had all been so close but they all knew it was our duty in the end no matter the crying. In fact your father accepted it with the least grace, Spruce…he found it impossible to accept and even tried carving the sword out of the tree till we stopped him. They had to steel themselves to endure it and not fall apart. All of us did and even my sweet Pine tried to hide his tears as he accepted his fate, he hated seeing us hurt. Do not think we are so cold-hearted that we would give up our children to that monster so easily, Branch!” she insisted losing the pain in her voice to angry conviction, her voice getting as loud as it could go. “It has hurt our family for generations and someday someone will finally be able to stand up and stop it, to make sure every one of those lives wasn’t in vain!”

Branch frowned, staring at his grandmother with mixed and uncertain feelings but pain most of all. He was in such turmoil he wasn’t sure why he even felt afraid with a suddenly growing sense of dread and shortness of breath.

“Your mother never saw it, she never had the chance,” Maple continued after a deep and painful breath as her voice got quiet again. “Your father had to put on a brave face and keep his distance. She must have thought he had lost his heart, that it was easy for him to just sacrifice his youngest son.” Maple looked up and her eyes were cold and angry. “But that was never so! The night you were picked…your father, though he may never admit it, came to me and he fell apart. Crying on his knees and he cried all night for you till he was spent and dry of tears. He was devastated and he should have let your mother see that, just so she could have known how much he loved you too.”

“Mother…” King Oak begged softly, staring at his mother and asking her to stop with the sorrow in his eyes but she was not looking at him. His voice cracked like he was trying not to cry.

“Branch, it has never been easy…and we can’t change the past,” she muttered shaking her head. “I want you to know all the truth, as hard as it is. I want you to be able to understand it even if you can’t forgive it. Your mother may have never known all the truth but you should,” she said patting his hand and looked at him with grief. “Just know none of us ever wanted to lose you. We never wanted to lose any of our children or the children of others. It has never been easy. When the Umbragon almost destroyed us all almost twenty-five years ago it only proved how right we had been no matter how hard the choice had been over the centuries. But someday…someone will set it all right again. It can be you Branch, the one that was saved from the fate of a hundred before you. Just know your family loves you, more than you know, more than enough for it to hurt.”

“Grandma…” Branch breathed as he leaned in and pulled the old troll into a hug. She hugged him back, nestling her head into his shoulder and he could feel her tears as she cried quietly.

“You’re a good boy, Branch,” she murmured softly to him and he hugged her harder, shutting his eyes tight and pressing his nose into her hair. He remembered Grandma Rosiepuff saying the same.

Branch sucked in a painful breath, his body was hurting especially his chest. It felt like he was suffocating and panic began to set it, squeeze his heart and tug at his body violently in a specific direction.

_Poppy!_

He wheezed, coughing with shock and yanked himself away from his grandmother, his hand grabbing at his chest.

“Branch?” Maple asked shocked.

“Branch! What is it?” King Oak demanded jumping from his seat.

Branch stood up, stumbled and fell out of his chair as he hit the floor, fighting to breathe even as air was whistling past his teeth into his lungs. He could still feel the burning!

“Poppy! Something is wrong with Poppy!” he coughed out and scrambled up to his feet, swaying unsteadily as he looked around with frightened eyes trying to pinpoint her location.

“What is the meaning of this,” Maple asked with frustrated confusion as King Oak came next to Branch and grabbed his shoulder to steady him.

“Poppy is his soul mate, mother. Just like Wisteria was Spruce’s,” he explained shortly.

“Oh no…” Maple whispered looking up fearfully at Branch.

Branch sucked in a sudden breath and snap.

He froze.

It was gone. The pain was gone, all the phantom sensations and feelings were gone.

His eyes widened with horror, tears budding at the edges.

Poppy was gone. Poppy was gone and there was nothing left but darkness in her place. An empty and cold void.

“No!” he bellowed suddenly yanking himself free from Oak’s grip and running for the door. “Poppy!”

“Branch!”

Hair suddenly grappled around his torso and yanked him back, holding on tight.

“Let me go!” Branch wailed, his hands grabbing at the black hair and trying to rip it. “I have to get to her! I have to go!”

“What is happening, Branch!” King Oak yelled back with concern and fear.

“She’s gone!” Branch turned back and screamed. Saying the words aloud broke something inside him and he crumpled to his knees, sobbing.

The hair released him but he didn’t move as he pressed his face into his hands. A strong hand touched his back and he stiffened as his father kneeled next to him.

“What do you mean?” King Oak asked softly.

“She’s gone!” Branch hissed with despair. “I can’t feel her anymore! She’s just…gone…”

Could that mean…only one thing?

Horror crossed King Oak’s face as he watched the color drain from Branch’s skin. Grey washed in like a dark storm obscuring the sea of the sun, turning everything brackish and dark. Before him now kneeled a son he did not recognize, grey of skin and black of hair, void even of a tint of color. Even the colors drained out of his clothes and made the leaves of his circlet grow brittle and dead.

Branch gasped, lifting his head up from his hands. Tears nestled in his palms and running down his cheeks as he looked down at them and realized he had turned grey again. The sadness inside was overwhelming, familiar…and he suddenly slumped forward and passed out.

“Branch!”

 

* * *

 

Poppy couldn’t be sure what woke her up, maybe some dead feeling deep in her chest as her eyes slowly fluttered open. A chorus of relieved voices greeted her and she groaned with the unpleasant sound in her ears.

“Poppy!”

“You’re awake!”

“Thank goodness!”

“Stop,” Poppy grumbled painfully, her head hurt and they fell silent as she stared at the ceiling above her head. Wood?

It was dank and cold. They must be underground or somewhere where the sunlight and fresh air did not reach. It was dark if not for the glowing mushrooms on the far left wall made of hard dark earth and the torch light to her right refracting and glowing. As she looked to her right she saw metal bars much tighter and closer together than in the cage the Chef had them once in. These bars weren’t crude however, but sleek shafts that caged them in.

“Where are we?” Poppy finally asked with a weak voice.

“In a cell, in the dungeons under the Mother Troll Tree,” replied a hard and cold voice.

Poppy turned her head to the right from where she laid and saw the source of the voice. Rose was sitting right next to her with an ill brooding look on her face. The cut on her cheek was crusted over with dry blood. Her armor was gone and so where her weapons leaving her in only some brown slacks and white shirt with the sleeves ripped off. She noticed the other warriors too and the big troll on the ground, with the ripped sleeves of the other warriors used to fortify his previous bandages soaked with blood.

Concerned, Poppy propped herself up and crumpled weakly until hands grabbed her and worried voices spoke.

“You shouldn’t move,” Rose said sternly holding Poppy up by her right arm. Other hands had her back.

“You’re turning grey,” Suki fussed.

“Yeah, your color is almost all gone, Poppy,” the twins whispered.

Poppy looked down at herself without much care. In all honesty, she was already grey with just a hint of pink tones like Branch had been at one point. She didn’t care, it was only reflecting how destroyed she was feeling inside. There were not cupcakes and rainbows right now, not when she knew how much worse Branch was likely taking this situation.

“When did we get here?” she growled looking up at her friends, her eyes not the bright pink they had once been. She looked as unfriendly as Branch had when he had been the grey troll of the village.

The Snack Pack seemed to shrink away with her tone, looking scared and uncertain and Poppy felt a little bad, but not enough to try and make an effort.

“Not long ago,” Rose answered. “They only threw us in here about fifteen minutes ago or so after they took everything out of our hair and removed our armor after sneaking into the kingdom through an old escape tunnel just outside the village. It’s should be about dinner time.”

Poppy felt he heart catch and she reached for her hair and found nothing in it, Branch’s journal, and her crown was gone too and she realized she didn’t even have her backpack.

“What was that?” Poppy asked frowning as she stared at Rose and with the help of her friends was sitting up right against the wood wall. Rose looked at her confused. “Thistle…he was black. How is that possible? I thought a troll could only turn grey.”

Rose snorted satirically. “If only that was all.” She sighed and let go of Poppy’s arm and leaned back against the wall too. “No…turning grey is like a picnic compared to the two other forms of color a troll can take,” she muttered.

“Two?” the Snack Pack mumbled with Poppy.

Rose nodded grimly. “You see a troll has four different color forms, one that you all know which is happiness and full of hope and life, colorful,” she explained quietly. “The second is when we lose saturation when we are very afraid, sad, or have lost hope, that’s when a troll turns grey.”

Poppy nodded, she knew this at least as she leaned heavily against the cold wall feeling it support her back, her entire body felt very weak for some reason. Her throat hurt and it was difficult to talk with the raspy pain.

“The third…I’m not surprised you have never seen it. Trolls aren’t meant to be filled with anger and hate, we are supposed to be happy creatures,” Rose muttered as if she wasn’t very convinced of that statement. “But when a troll is filled with nothing but anger and hate…they turn black and only those emotions drive them, consume them and they lose everything else about themselves. I’ve seen it happen before in battle, it’s very rare… An old friend of mine turned black when his mate was killed in a fight, and he turned ballistic…he…” she breathed in unsteadily.

“He killed everyone in his way, even his allies just to get to the troll that had killed his mate,” Moss finished for her darkly from where he sat next to Carter. “I was there, that was a long time ago.”

Rose nodded. “In fact if history is right, our kingdom was the first to ever have black trolls,” she mentioned sadly. “War obviously has its downsides for our people.”

“That’s because we are meant to be peaceful,” Poppy argued sure she was right. “Trolls had no reason to fight till the Umbragon made you, am I right?”

The warriors looked at her surprised that she knew of the monster.

Rose nodded stiffly. “I think you’re right, everything bad started with that creature and in turn made us trolls do bad things too just to stay alive.”

Poppy sighed and nodded. She coughed and tried to clear her throat which was sounding harsher the more she talked. “What’s the fourth color form you mentioned?” she asked softly, her eyes closing with lethargy. Something felt wrong, like the life was slipping out of her slowly but surely…

Rose looked at the ground, frowning deeply and sadly. She looked up and met Poppy’s pink eyes with her emerald ones. “White,” she whispered. “When a troll loses all hope and is left with nothing, not even sadness or hopelessness, but just nothing. Without even a reason to live... When they are empty inside of any reason to even breathe, not even a reason to feel pain, sorrow, anger, or joy... When a troll turns white, they die soon afterwards.”

 

* * *

 

Branch woke with a start, gasping for air like he had just surfaced from drowning.

There was a heavy pit in his stomach and a hole in his chest that made it hard to breathe. He realized he was in his room as he stared up at the canopy of his bed.

“Branch!”

He turned disoriented eyes towards the voice of this father who had been holding Branch’s hand. He was sitting in the room on a chair and next to him the Dr. Sage, an older male troll with earthy green skin, purple hair and nose while a bunk of herbs seemed to grow out of his hair. Just behind them was Prince Rowan looking worried, guarding the door.

Branch suddenly remembered what had happened before he passed out and he tried to push himself up.

“Poppy…” he breathed with a gravelly voice.

“Lay down,” King Oak commanded sternly, his strong hand pushing Branch down. “You are in no condition to be running around.”

“I turned grey, I didn’t get sick!” Branch spat shoving his father’s hands away.

“It’s more than that, Branch,” Dr. Sage interjected with a worried voice. “I don’t know what exactly happened to you, but you are weak, like you are sick. You shouldn’t have fainted earlier, you suffered a shock. You need to rest.”

“How can I rest when I can’t feel Poppy?” he growled angrily and stubbornly shoved himself up.

“What are you going to do?” King Oak demanded irritated. “Go running out in your condition into the forest? How are you going to even find her?”

“I DON’T KNOW!” Branch suddenly screamed and he slumped where he sat, suddenly overcome with despair again that he had been trying to repress. “I don’t know…” he wept in a hushed whisper, tears breaking free again. “But I have to try!” he hissed quietly past gnashed teeth.

King Oak froze for a moment, troubled and unsure of what to say. “We’ll find her, we’ll send out the entire guard into the forest if we have to, Branch,” he promised. “But please don’t be reckless, if you get worse—”

Sudden knocking was echoing into the room from the door. Everyone stiffened and Rowan turned and opened the door.

“King Oak! Prince Branch! Crown Prince Thistle is back with the scouting parties!” said someone urgently.

Branch didn’t wait, he hastily shoved himself up and nearly fell over as his father caught him in his arms and straightened him up.

“Don’t son, we’ll tell Thistle to come here.”

“No, I need to go,” Branch muttered with a strained and cutting voice, an ominous pit in his gut. King Oak could see his son would stubbornly drag himself there so he sighed with defeat and instead offered his weight for support, leading Branch out of the room.

Dr. Sage and Prince Rowan followed quickly behind them as they made it to the elevator and took it the floor with the throne room. Apparently Thistle was waiting for them there.

Branch felt his heart sink with every step, he didn’t feel the tugging. He didn’t feel he was getting closer to Poppy at all. But he also still couldn’t feel her and his desperation was climbing.

As Rowan threw the doors open Branch frantically searched the room for a familiar pink shape.

But all his eyes saw was Thistle with some of the warriors he had taken, bloodied and wounded and Robin…the troll that had been sent out a week earlier to track Poppy and her friends and bring them here safely. The blue troll with red hair had his head hung and was staring at the floor in shame.

Branch’s eyes landed on his brother, Thistle, as he turned to look at him with a devastated expression. Dry blood over his left eye that smearing down his cheek and cuts and dry blood on his arms, his armor battered. In his bloody hand he held a torn and bloodstained crown Branch recognized. His heart seized.

“Branch…” Thistle muttered looking him overly sadly for a moment, he didn’t seem surprised to find him grey. “I am so sorry, we tried…everything,” he said quietly, his voice controlled and tight as he slowly walked up to Branch and his father frozen at the doorway.

Branch stared on in horror, in disbelief, his eyes never tearing away from Poppy’s ruined leaf and felt crown.

Thistle lifted it and presented it to him. Shakily, Branch let go of his father who watched on with profound apprehension as his youngest son took the crown into his grasp with shaking hands.

“We didn’t make it,” Thistle breathed sounding contrite, his voice whispering with just a dark hint that no one seemed to notice in the moment. “When we arrived they were overwhelmed…your friends… The tusk wolves got them,” he spat. “And Poppy…” he paused.

Branch looked up into his brother’s blue eyes, pleading for the worst not to be true as he looked for just a second into icy cold blue eyes.

Thistle closed his eyes with a deep frown and turned his face down. “I couldn’t save her, Branch. She was crushed in an instant in one of the monster’s mouths and swallowed. Rose tried to go after her…and she was eaten too,” he whispered but he didn’t sound choked. “Your mate’s friends too that were with her, none of them survived. We lost a lot of warriors too…Carter, Moss, Holly, Ivy… I failed you, I am so…sorry.”

Robin flinched from where he stood as Ivy’s name was mentioned, gritting his teeth and staring at the ground with tears in his eyes.

But Branch didn’t notice anything else around him as the heavy words thundered and beat down in his ears, into his head, into his heart. As his heart crushed in on itself as the fear it had been holding at bay was confirmed.

Poppy was dead.

His friends were dead.

_Poppy was dead._

He fell to his knees with a heavy sob breaking past his mouth as he gasped, as he let out a loud painful wail that crashed against the floor and echoed out over the vast chamber.

He hugged the crown close to his chest, horrific images capturing his mind’s eye of his beloved sunshine, his Poppy…crushed and devoured by sharp teeth. Screaming for help, screaming out his name with her final breath and he couldn’t even remember the last time he had held her warm body safely against his arms. The last time he had hugged her and told her he loved her and there would be no second chance. She was gone.

He wheezed, sobbing relentlessly even as arms embraced him. He couldn’t feel the warmth, not even from his own tears streaking down his face.

All he could feel was the cold emanating from deep inside his soul, seeping out through him and making its way to the surface. His eyes were shut tight as tears spilled and the crying slowed as the color drained further from his body.

“Branch! No…!” King Oak gasped, holding on tighter to his son with desperation as he watched the transformation occur.

Branch’s black hair was seeped free of any color, melting away to a gleaming ghostly translucent white, the hair wilting and falling as it lost its energy as if lost by age. His skin paled, gaining a texture and appearance of bleached powder, like compact snow in a winter land. From the tip of his fingers to the soles of his feet his skin became whiter than snow, paler than death’s visage. His clothes were sucked dry of any shade, even the crown he held in his hands, all but the blood that now burned bright against the white like fire given breath in daylight.

A finally weak sob escaped Branch as his pale blue eyes closed and he slumped forward as the empty feeling dominate his insides and his mind fell silent like a still lake. He wanted to sleep now, sleep and never wake up and he felt the wish was just a breath away from being granted.

Peaceful was the idea that he could feel nothing anymore. That soon he could be with Poppy again, somewhere else. Free of pain and sorrow. All he wanted was her glow, just one final touch. So simple and so serene to give the eternity of sleep a wonderful meaning and resting fate.

The blackness of sleep was white and cold this time, inviting in silence. Promising softly to end all misery and give his heart the rest it needed and the presence he yearned for one final time.

And Branch accepted it like an old friend as soft slumber blanketed his mind and withdrew him deep inside himself away from the world and everything else.

His arms lost their firmness, of all energy, and the crown tumbled, rolled across the ground before hitting Thistle’s foot and falling over, spinning on its rim before resting in stillness.

King Oak’s arms were trembling, tears in his eyes and streaking down his face as he held an unconscious Branch up and he choked down a sob of his own. Rowan’s hand immediately cut into view and lifted Branch up with a strong sturdy grip.

“I’ll take him to his room.”

“No!” King Oak snapped, his voice broken as he spoke and stood up. “I will carry him to his room.”

His hands swept over and under and he picked up Branch in his arms as if he was a doll, a small boy in his big arms.

“But, King Oak! You’re back…” Rowan protested.

King Oak shot his nephew a stare so cold and venomous with pain that the young prince fell silent and took a step back, bowing his head.

Without another word the king turned away with his limp son in his arms, listening to Branch’s shallow breathing as his steps never wavered as he carried his son for the first time since infancy.

For one last moment Thistle caught sight of his brother’s pale white face and strangely, his heart caught missing a beat. Branch looked almost peaceful if he didn’t look worse than death and void of even the slightest spark of life.

Something within Thistle seemed to war with itself, something deeply wounded and pained. With the conflicting emotions he felt his internal anger damper only slightly, still trying to enjoy the pain he had seen on his father’s face. But something awful stirred deep inside, trying to be repressed. What was this strange feeling?

Guilt.

And it slowly started to claw its way to the surface to scream past the rage.

Why was he feeling it? Isn't this what he had wanted?

Thistle felt like he was finally going insane, like his mind was finally snapping in a way he had never expected. Warring turbulently between fury and sorrow and making a desperate mad laugh wanting to tear past his lips from deep inside his chest to echo the vehement and neurotic disturbance daring to rip his mind apart.

A single question seemed to grow ever louder from a soft whisper among the madness sweeping his emotions.

_What have I done?_


	23. Clarity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised less angst right? Well this chapter is dedicated to Thistle, enjoy~! Next chapter will be in Poppy's POV. The plot thickens! The climax of the tale is coming!
> 
> Also, because Secretsivekept got revenge for all of you on me and made me cry late at night for my apparent misdeeds. Please check out the beautiful work and give it some love and stop trying to torch me instead! Remember, if you kill me, ALL of you will be left with a cliffhanger and no ending!
> 
> Art of Chapter 22 by Secretsivekept: http://secretsivekept.tumblr.com/post/159180725433/fanart-of-dragonnmrs-fic-a-troll-epic-because

* * *

 

“King Oak… It’s been two days, you need to eat,” Dr. Sage asserted yet again with his wise old voice.

“What of it,” King Oak responded with a dead tone as he sat on a chair next to Branch’s bed, holding his son’s hand.

He didn’t tear his gaze away from his boy who hadn’t woken up since he fell unconscious. Every hour that passed by Branch got weaker, his breath got shallower and his heart slowed. King Oak could feel the occasional soft beats against his hand as he waited for the final dreaded moment to come.

King Oak was pale, such a pale shade of grey he seemed he might turn white himself.

Dr. Sage sighed, shaking his head sadly as he looked over the other morbid-faced trolls gathered in the room. As if he hoped one of them would speak up but none of them did.

Maple was sitting next to her son, grasping an old cane between her hands as she stared at her grandson and occasionally her son with somber old eyes.

King Sorbus, a yellow troll with short purple hair stood solemnly by the wall with his two children, Princess Primrose and Prince Rowan. Primrose was silent, looking into the room with her lilac eyes set into her light purple skin and soft her green hair was styled in blazing waves. Rowan looked the most troubled of the three after they came to visit again. It was like they were standing vigil already.

Thistle leaned against the doorframe of the room looking sour and conflicted, deep in thought. He had visited and stayed nearby every day for about an hour but he couldn’t bring himself to stare into the room and the dismal atmosphere. Every day the anger inside seemed to meet a growing force of other emotions that left him confused and indecisive. He wondered why he didn’t want to stare at the misery of his father who hadn’t left Branch’s side for a moment. But he just couldn’t…and it frustrated him greatly that his feelings seemed so unclear.

He had been dealing with all the reports and meetings so far and he had just come from one of the meetings in fact, it was the hour of sunset now.

All the responsibility had been passed to him in King Oak’s absence and his positioned seemed renewed now that news had spread that Branch was dying…and yet it tasted like ash in Thistle’s mouth. Not like victory, not like the satisfaction he had wanted. Why…did he feel so rattled?

The celebrations had been canceled, scouting parties were arranged for the north toward the mountain to check on the spreading monochrome landscape, and funeral plans were being made for the lost soldiers… Thinking of that had certain faces cramming into his mind, almost hauntingly.

He huffed and shoved the images away, trying to remember why he was doing all this in the first place. Then a voice nagged at him and asked him why he hadn’t killed them after his plan had obviously been successful, what was stopping him? Then Thistle would growl angrily at it to shut up, feeling a betraying pain in his chest just with the idea. Why was he doing this again…?

That’s right. King Oak…and the anger would dominate his mind again for just a moment.

It all had Thistle in a foul mood, fouler than his black nature already made him. He had been mostly quiet the past two days and trolls seemed to sense something was wrong with him because they were quick to flee his presence. Even as Thistle kept drinking the cloying potions that kept a false coat of paint of color over his black skin.

Suddenly his thoughts were disturbed by movement down the hallway.

His eyes widened and he looked up and he saw Princess Azalea walking down the hallway with her two guards. She had a lamentable expression etched into her mint colored face and she was wearing a pale dress.

Thistle hadn’t seen her since before he had left and he swallowed, feeling his breath catch and his heart skip a beat. His dark conviction seemed to waver just for a moment. Why did she have to be so beautiful?

She didn’t acknowledge him or even look at him as she walked past him and into the room, making Thistle’s hard blue eyes track her. Her guards waited outside the door, watching.

She walked up to the king, her hands still folded as she glanced momentarily at Branch.

“Your highness…” she whispered. Only King Oak’s ear twitched to indicate he had heard her. “I am deeply sorry for this moment of grief your family is facing,” she whispered. “I wish it was not so.”

King Oak said nothing. He didn’t even turn his head to acknowledge the princess as he continued to stare at Branch’s face with lost despair.

Azalea sighed and she took a step back.

A tremor suddenly began to shake through the floor, resounding and echoing through the walls.

The trolls gasped as the lights started to drain and darkness began to creep from the corners, from shadows that grew blacker.

Thistle felt confusion and fear take him as he recognized the horrifying and familiar sensation crawled over his skin and the sight from his youth.

The chill began to settle in the air as the wood around them groaned.

“What’s going on?” Azalea asked frightened, staring up as paintings on the walls shook and gasped as a vase fell over from a nearby nightstand and shattered.

No one answered her. Thistle gripped the doorframe, trying not to lose his balance.

King Oak desperately clutched Branch’s unresponsive hand as he stared at the walls with dread, his mother clinging to his shirt so she would not fall over.

Rowan stared around mortified as she rushed over to Thistle, not trying to trip with the earthquake.

“It’s awake early! How can this be? It shouldn’t wake up for at least another four days!”

“How would I know!” Thistle spat angrily at his cousin and not caring to regulate his dark voice as he felt the tremors shake his insides. No one seemed to hear him as the shaking of the tree got louder and the wood seemed to groan with despair and death, the air felt like it held decay. Even the air smelled of rotting wood.

Suddenly it stopped but the world inside the tree was as dark as night and filled with silence, the dim glow of the bioluminescent plants was the only light and it was weak in the inky darkness. All the torches had snuffed out without wind and the inside of the palace felt icy cold like winter. The walls, floor, and furniture felt hard and frigid to the touch.

Everyone breathed in a thin and shaky breath.

Every troll began to bristle as an ominous sensation crept over them, prickling their skin and hair as they were washed in the weak light.

A black glow suddenly shot into the room coming straight out of the walls. Two streaking shapes of black light illuminated by a halo of neon purple like blazing comets of black fire shot around the room almost chaotically before finding their direction.

One raced towards Branch’s bed and the other raced towards Azalea.

Horror washed through Thistle in an instant at the sight, as he recognized the umbrageous flames.

Azalea gasped suddenly with fear and shock and Thistle tried to rush to her, but he could hardly see with the black light suddenly making his eyes dilate. But he rushed forward regardless and a body slumped into his arm, his heart hammering as he stared down at the form that glowed with a strange black light through her very skin.

He looked towards the bed, dreading the same sight…and there was the glow burning in the darkness, bleeding through ghostly skin and shining like flames liked off his brother’s body. Then it stopped, seeming to wither into his body and the light vanished to only a point on his forehead for a moment.

Just like that the darkness washed away and light returned to the world. The blackness and cold melted away back into normal shadows cast by objects in the room as the plants glowed more brightly once again. But death still wafted in the air with a chilling dankness.

Thistle’s eyes were fixed on the still white form lying on the bed with a brazen black mark now bright against white skin on his forehead. Thistle’s breath caught and he then looked down at the girl in his arms that stared up the ceiling with fixed eyes.

His breath seemed to choke in his chest as he saw the mark too on her head, the shape of an odd triangular scale that was a deep pitch black.

_What was going on?!_

King Oak stood up starting down in horror as did the eyes of the others in the room.

“This…this can’t be!” King Oak gasped. “How is this possible!” he yelled. “What’s going on!?” he bellowed turning to those in the room as if they might have the answer. His eyes held a mad frenzy and fury as the others flinched away.

Thistle was frozen, turbulent inside himself too. Now all his emotions certainly weren’t concrete, he was fighting horror over anger and he felt like the emotions were just swirling under his skin in a whirlwind of chaos. He imaged black was warring with grey and color.

Azalea’s guards rushed up to Thistle, murmuring in worry as they pulled the princess out of Thistle’s arms and to her feet.

Azalea finally blinked and her hand touched her forehead, her eyes glassy as she shivered.

“So this is how the marking happens…” she whispered disconnected.

Thistle stared at her mortified then turned his head to his father, his anger suddenly rising again. “Since when does the monster pick anything but children!? Why did it pick _her?!_ Why did it pick Branch, _again_!?”

He paused as he realized what he said, something inside feeling very wrong and trying to fight to the surface.

King Oak didn’t answer as he turned to his nephew. “Rowan! Get Aspar and Calamus immediately! And send the guards out to find the troll with the third mark, check on the villagers, on everyone! We need to get to the bottom of this **_now_** _!_ ” he thundered with real emotion for the first time in days.

“Yes, King Oak,” Rowan said quickly before rushing out not waiting for another word.

“I can’t let this happen again!” King Oak stomped his foot, his hand ripping into his unkempt hair, ripping through the delicate vines.

“Dad…”

Everyone froze at the quiet voice that whispered so weakly into the air.

King Oak turned around with tears already in his eyes as he rushed back to the bed and took Branch’s hand.

“Branch! You’re awake…” he sobbed relieved.

Thistle felt shock go through him and his feet seemed to move on their own as they moved him closer. He stared in disbelief as he was able to see the pallid figure in the bed. Branch was awake? He caught sight of pale blue eyes looking up at their father.

“It’s alright…dad,” Branch whispered, his voice lethargic and monotone. “Let it happen this time…it’ll be alright,” he smiled weakly as his hand gently squeezed back with as much force as he could apply.

But the effort was weak. The dark energy that had surged into him had woken him momentarily, ripped him from the void he had been trying to reach with its coldness. The dark presences had been ghastly familiar, but this time Branch wasn’t afraid of it like some memory tried to recall for him from long ago. He knew in his heart he had felt this dark entity before, recognized its meaning.

Branch blinked his eyes, slowly as they tried to close again.

“No! Not again!” King Oak protested. “I won’t let it happen again!”

Branch gave him the slightest ironic smile, just the slightest tug of his lips. “I’m dying anyways dad… What does it matter? It’s not avoidable anymore. Like this I can protect everyone and still be with Poppy…”

“No!” King Oak sobbed, nuzzling Branch’s hand into his face.

“Don’t worry, dad… It’ll be alright, I love you,” he whispered and the King wept harder, shaking his head vigorously in denial as his body quaked.

Thistle felt his heart catch, something painful crushing at his chest.

Branch turned his eyes up to him and Thistle felt himself pale, sucking in a sharp breath, trying to find his anger as he stared into his brother’s eyes.

“Thistle…” Branch weakly lifted a hand towards him but it collapsed back to his side and Branch wheezed for a moment. The effort somehow seemed to squeeze at Thistle’s heart, making it throb painfully. Why did it hurt? Guilt was becoming stronger.

“Thank you…for trying to protect, Poppy. Make sure dad will be alright, make sure he lets it happen this time…don’t let anyone else die,” he asked softly and Thistle felt the iron around his heart being painfully chipped away at, cracking, hurting as he stared frozen and conflicted. “And Thistle… Thanks,” he smirked just a little, “for being my brother. I know we didn’t get along, but…I really think we could have been brothers after that day. You’ll be a great king, just let go of the past… Remember grandma and mom’s song? Don’t…forget it.”

Thistle stared horrified, his heart finally giving way like water had been thrown over the fire of his black rage and it began to sizzle as pain surfaced, loudly and powerful.

 _What have I done?_  Asked a voice more loudly than ever in his head.

Brach let out a soft breath, his eyes closing as his head fell back into the pillows again.

“Branch! Wait!” Thistle yelled rushing over and stopping a few steps away as he realized it was too late, Branch was gone again in a lifeless sleep. No…no…what was…what was going on?! Why!

Thistle turned back and found that everyone had left, even his uncle and cousin. Only Dr. Sage remained, staring from some distance.

Thistle was frozen in place, staring blankly at the wall as he tried to understand the turmoil ripping at his heart. Why…did he feel like he was in pain again? Why…had his brother said that to him just now? The cruel irony did not fall deafly on him, how undeserving the words had been and how they now stabbed into him and made the guilt take precedence. This isn’t what he had wanted! Thistle wanted to rip out his hair with frustration and go scream somewhere on a branch high above in the tree.

“Thistle…”

Robotically, Thistle turned his head to the teary eyes of his father who had a hand extend to him. Thistle stared at it uncertainly before he reached for it, gasping when his father yanked him in and Thistle found himself in a hug.

The sensation was so foreign as his father’s head nestled into his shoulder and the remaining anger began to falter… When was the last time that he could remember when his father had embraced him? He couldn’t remember but a memory in his childhood.

“Thistle, I…I need you to be ready to take my place. I don’t know if I will make it past this grief this time,” King Oak whispered drained.

“What?!” Thistle suddenly growled, his anger returning like a pendulum that couldn’t make up its mind as it swung back and forth with the contradictory words of his father. Thistle partially pulled himself out of the hug so he could glare, shoving his father away. “You said I wasn’t fit to be king! And now you just want to give it to me just because there’s no one else?” he spat as he felt the anger starting to kindle back to life.

King Oak looked up with an ashamed gaze, frowning deeply. “No, Thistle. Please listen to me, just for a moment…”

Thistle glared untrustingly but waited, silent.

“I was wrong and it is my fault for not seeing it, Thistle…” he sighed letting go of Thistle and just taking his hand. “I didn’t see…how much I had been hurting you over the years. Branch made me realize that after you left, he defended you. He refused to be king when I asked him, even after he found out the truth about the Umbragon and what happened twenty-five years ago…”

Thistle stared on in silent disbelief. Was King Oak saying his brother had forgiven his father and everyone for lying to him?

King Oak continued to speak as Thistle was speechless as his anger wavered once again.

“He said that you were the only king for our people…and he was right. I’ve been blind my son, so blind to why you’ve been so angry and hurt…because of me and your mother leaving you. And I only made it worse when I left you behind and made no effort to make amends for the time I lost with you when I returned. You were right. I was so consumed, just like you said, you were right the whole time. Obsessed with what I had lost. And in the end I was blind to what I did have…you, my son,” he said squeezing Thistle’s hand tightly.

Thistle was frozen, staring as he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his father’s mouth. Out of every outcome he had imaged he had not imagined his father… was his father…apologizing? Uncertain, Thistle glanced at his unconscious brother again. Branch…had defended him?

Suddenly Branch’s last words were a lot crueler and Thistle couldn’t breathe, he felt utterly lost.

He turned back to his father, panic taking him and making his heart race.

“I know you can’t forgive me easily and I don’t blame you,” King Oak said wearily, tears still in his eyes as he held a hand of each of his sons. “But Thistle…” he looked up, their eyes locking. “I am very proud of you, my son, I always have been and I love you. And I am sorry if I made you feel like that was something you had to struggle and fight to have, that it was something you had to earn,” his lip trembled, fresh tears falling down his face as his voice cracked.

Thistle finally breathed in sharply but it hurt to do so, he could feel his heartbeat in his throat.

“I’ve done you a great wrong and I cannot undo it, I have said things I wish I could take back… But there is nothing more that I wish I could make up to you than that pain and loneliness I gave you. It is not what a father should give to his son and I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it and apologize. Forgive me for being a fool and for not protecting you as I should have. We…” he tried to smile, a sarcastic one. “We don’t seem very good at expressing ourselves very well in this family, do we? But I love you, and so does Branch even if he didn’t say it outright. I know it’s what he feels just by the way he talked about you and…from what he just said. Both of you are more than I can ever possible deserve,” he said with honest sadness and his voice cracked again. “I can’t lose you both, I just can’t. I want you to know that. What I said before about banishing you…I wish I could take it back, I could never do that to you, Thistle,” he sobbed, tears rushing down his face. “Forgive me, you mean everything to me. Both of you do and I’m sorry I never made that clear as you deserved.”

Thistle sucked in a sharp breath and he felt the anger burn out like a light, just snuff out of existence like a weak flame. He felt the itching cross his skin as the fake color began to fade and with it, it drew away the black leaving behind a growing wave of grey in place of color. His hair drained to black.

Thistle reached hesitantly over but then paused, biting his lip as guilt and shame ate away at his insides. He felt so lost and he didn’t know what to do, feeling more insecure than ever in his life, his eyes were two sad swirling pools of blue.

King Oak only stared sadly and ashamed for a moment as the grey color washed over his son’s skin and completely covered him and drained his clothes. Then he yanked his son forward again into a hug.

Thistle let out a hoarse breath, collapsing into the comforting hug, squeezing hard as he felt the relief finally wash through him. As the pain finally met resolution and the hole in his heart was finally addressed and given something to heal with.

“I’m so sorry, Thistle… I did this to you. I even turned you grey…” King Oak whispered disgraced. “I’m so sorry. I love you,” he repeated with a shaking voice.

“That’s…that’s all I wanted to hear, dad…” Thistle whispered back, his voice finally back to normal just like his mind too, both now burdened by melancholy.

“I know,” King Oak sighed, now both his hands pressing hard against Thistle’s back. “I know, and I’m sorry it took me so long to say it.”

Thistle felt tears escape the edges of his eyes as he choked down a sob. He finally felt free. It was like nothing else in the world to feel safe in his father’s arms again like when he had been a small boy. Just to feel loved, like after he had made his father proud by executing a move right in his training and the never ending praise that followed. It was all he had wanted.

Thistle wanted to enjoy the embrace, until horror washed through him and he yanked himself away from his father and looked at Branch.

Sudden realization dawned on him. “What…what have I done?” he asked himself mortified, the question finally making it to his voice now that the blackness was gone, nothing to drown his other emotions down.

King Oak looked at Thistle confused then at Branch. “What do you mean?”

“I’m sorry, dad, but I have to go,” Thistle shoved himself up. “I have to fix this and we have to get Branch out of here and Azalea too.”

“What?!” King Oak asked baffled but Thistle turned away and shot out of the room like there was a fire. “Thistle! Thistle, get back here! What’s going on!? What do you mean!?”

Thistle ignored the calls as he raced down the hallway. By the Mother Troll Tree, what had he done!? He was cursing himself with every step as he went over the events of that day…  Rose was going to kill him, he was sure of it, and if she didn’t he was sure Branch would when he woke up. But Thistle admitted he deserved it and wouldn’t begrudge it if his brother choked him…that if it wasn’t too late. He felt like he was literally racing against the clock. His mind finally felt like it had clarity, relief from the constant confusing rage that had muffled his thoughts even if he felt miserable and grey now with the situation he had caused.

He reached the elevator just as the metal doors opened and he saw Rowan there with Aspar.

“Where’s Calamus?” Thistle demanded as Rowan balked at the sight of the Crown Prince’s grey skin and black hair.

“Umm, he’s up in his workplace, he said he’d be down once he finished some potion or other, he was really weird about it,” Rowan replied stuttering between the words.

“Then move it and get out of the way!” Thistle snapped impatiently shoving his cousin out of the way where he stood gaping like a fish.

Rowan quickly moved aside as Thistle rushed into the elevator and pulled the lever.

“Did you send out the order to the guards?” Thistle inquired looking at his cousin as the doors closed.

“Y-yes, I did.”

“Good.”

The doors slammed shut and the mechanisms began to whirl and groan, shooting the box up the shaft to the higher floor. Thistle was stomping his foot impatiently the entire time, gritting his teeth. Branch was dying and it was all his fault…he needed to fix this! He had to save his brother before it was too late! By the Mother Troll Tree he hoped it wasn’t too late…he realized he would never forgive himself.

The doors opened and Thistle was about to rush out, only to gasp as he was face to face with the old alchemist and almost crashing into him.

“Calamus! Good, I need—”

“The potion?” he muttered looking unimpressed as he lifted the golden glowing flask to his face.

Thistle didn’t know why he felt dumbstruck. He should be used to at this point in his life but every time he just had to wonder: How did this weird old troll just know these things?

“For the bond?”

“To fix it? Yes,” he interrupted again.

Thistle nodded and grabbed the bottle immediately. “And the potion—”

“I gave your mother to dispel the mark?” he interrupted yet again, rolling his eyes. Thistle was scowling at this point, no, he was never going to get used to this rudeness. “Yes, here, you want all three I guess?” he asked lifting the three glowing white vials in his other hand. “I hope you have a better plan than destroying us all to save whoever gets these other than your brother.”

“How did you know—? Oh, forget it,” Thistle grumbled impatiently and swiped the other three potions as he saw the impassive expression on the old alchemist’s face. “Thanks Calamus, I appreciate it.”

He yanked the lever and the doors closed.

“Hey! I was going to use that!” Calamus yelled down the shaft as the prince vanished. “Young trolls, so rude,” he muttered to himself and pressed the button repeatedly next to the elevator, waiting for it to come back.

Thistle was going over the plan in his head as he put the potions in his hair for safekeeping. He had to get to Azalea and get her out of here through the old escape tunnels through the dungeon. He just hoped his father was too preoccupied to send guards to guard and make sure the princess didn’t leave now that she had been chosen.

The elevator finally stopped on the floor with the quest quarters and he immediately went towards the suites reserved for royal guests. He knew where her room was and then realized he didn’t have his armor on today or even a weapon…even if he knew he shouldn’t carry one inside the tree. He just hoped he didn’t meet resistance. He would just have to improvise if it came down to a fight, nothing he wasn’t used to.

As he rounded the corner he sighed in relief as saw only her guards. There wasn’t time to waste.

“I need to speak with the Princess,” he informed as he walked up to them.

“Princess Azalea doesn’t want to be disturbed,” the first guards said.

Thistle gave him an incredulous look. Did this troll really think that was going to stop him that easily?

A quiet click distracted him and the door swung open, his breath didn’t catch this time as he saw the princess with a distant gaze. His eyes were focused on the black mark on her forehead and she was frowning as she stared at his grey skin with pity in her eyes. Thistle ignored the look.

“What is it, Prince Thistle?” she asked quietly.

“May I come in?” he asked quickly, urgently. “It’s important.”

She gave him a suspicious look before she nodded once. The guards looked at her uncomfortably but she nodded to them and closed the door as Thistle walked in.

“Make it quick, Prince Thistle,” she sighed walking closer to the center of the room and towards her bed where she sat down looking weary. “I am not in the mood to entertain.”

Thistle didn’t have time to waste with talking. He had to get to Poppy and the others as soon as possible. He walked over and took out one of the small glowing white potions that shone like a radiant light from his hair and offered it to her.

“Here,” he presented the potion to her. She stared at it and then looked up to him with a perplexed frown without taking it. “This potion will take away your mark. Come with me, I will get you out of the kingdom and to safety,” he promised solemnly.

“No.”

He froze, shocked. “What?” he blurted out.

“No,” she repeated again stubbornly, closing her eyes halfway and folding her hand over her lap.

“No!?” he echoed. Was she crazy? “What do you mean, no?” he asked his voice gaining a sarcastic edge. Didn’t she see he was trying to save her? “You do know what that mark means, right? It means you’re going to die!” he uttered, exasperation making his voice rise an octave.

“I know what it means, Prince Thistle,” she said calmly.

Thistle stared on confused, his hand falling to his side with the potion.

“I don’t understand,” he admitted frustrated. “Why won’t you let me help you?”

She turned her gaze up to him, just the hint of a glare but her eyes were fiery and determined. “Because I came here to save my people, not myself.”

His frown deepened. “What? You’re saying you knew you’d be picked?”

She smirked ironically and shook her head. “No, Prince Thistle. That is not what I am saying. Although, I am not surprised that I was.”

“Then tell me,” Thistle begged, his voice losing its edge to sincere concern as the moment took him. “Please, I want to understand,” he insisted, taking a bold step forward, frowning and looking into her light green eyes.

She stared into his eyes and sighed, finally relenting and her posture slumping. “You know the trolls that were lost twenty-five years ago? Do you know their names?” she asked ruefully.

Thistle frowned wondering what she was getting at. “Of course I know their names, I’ve memorized all of them. We never forget…” he paused and his eyes grew wide as the realization suddenly hit him. “Princess Magnolia Daughter of Queen Lily and King Fern of Rhodon Kingdom, age five, mint colored skin, pale pink of hair and pink eyes…was she your sister?” he asked startled as he repeated the memorized words straight from the old tome he had read growing up, when he had to learn of his duty to his people and learn all the names of those that had been lost.

Azalea’s eyes shut tight, a single tear pushing past and falling down her face as she nodded once. Thistle wanted to reach forward, to comfort her but he hesitated. His advances so far had been rejected and he knew better than to presume at this point.

“How…” he was at a loss. “Was she…older than you or…?”

“She was my twin sister,” Azalea sighed finally reaching up to her hair and pulling out a white flower from her crown to stare at, a magnolia. In fact, her entire crown was made of them. "I was very ill at the time, bedridden. We had a few years of peace and our parents tried to keep our birth secret, just long enough for another ten years to pass… But Magnolia snuck out when the children were sent away. You see, one of her best friends was among them and she didn’t want to leave them alone… When our parent’s found out it was too late to try and get her back. Then…” she bit her lip, bringing the flower closer, crushing it close to her heart as she trembled. “She never came back with any of our friends, with any of the children... I felt her die when it happened. Twins…usually share a telepathic bond, I knew before my family even received the news.”

Thistle frowned deeply and he wasn’t surprised, many trolls tried to hide their children when those days came so the Glade Kingdom has always sent warriors to root them out and escort the children. It was the darkest time of the year for everyone. He could only imagine how that loss had affected Azalea as she tried to withhold her emotions in front of him.

“I came here…” she sighed letting the blossom fall to her lap. “To marry Branch so I could save my people. I knew if I could marry him than our kingdom would be protected, we would not have to send our children anymore. Having Branch as our king and the father of my children would have guaranteed our safety. Just like the Glade Trolls don’t sacrifice their children anymore,” she said bitterly, turning an accusing glare up at Thistle for a moment before she looked away.

Thistle scowled uncomfortably, putting the potion on the nightstand next to the bed.

“So that’s why you refused me… Marrying me…”

“Would have no benefit to my people,” Azalea confirmed as she stared at Thistle. “I would have become your queen to your people and not of my own. I would not be able to assure their protection if I left them to join your kingdom.”

Thistle nodded in agreement, in understanding. “You know…if you had asked me, then…”

“What? You would have told me they do not have to send our trolls over anymore? For how long? Till you die and the next ruler says otherwise?” she scoffed with derision. “No, having your family’s bloodline in my family, in our kingdom, would have assured my people’s protection longer. Having me in your family would not have done the same. Your father still makes your uncle send his people’s children every ritual year and he is related to you.”

Thistle looked at her and could see her point, she was right. He took a step closer again but he kept his distance.

“But you don’t love Branch.”

“Of course I don’t,” she snapped quietly and impatiently, her brow knitting together. “I couldn’t help hate him at first, in fact. I hated all of your family for what happened to my sister. But as I grew older and came here with my goal in mind when your father sent us an invitation with the news… I realized it was my only chance and that I couldn’t blame your brother, especially if I wanted this to work. I had to try and like him and he turned out…far better than I expected if not rude, but at least he is honest,” she said thoughtfully but then her voice hardened again. “But the rest of your family…” she scowled and looked up at Thistle with obvious dislike. “I apologize, but I will be frank. I still don’t like them, especially your father.”

Thistle chuckled at the irony of that as he could once relate but then fell silent, brooding as he looked at her. “Yet you were willing to marry my brother…even though you don’t love him and hate our family.”

She gave him a cold gaze, impatient. “I told you, I came to save my people, not myself. Are you telling me you wouldn’t do the same?”

Thistle frowned at her and reached forward, offering his hand. She gave it a cold stare and ignored it.

“I would do horrible things for my people,” he admitted. “Though I haven’t exactly proven that recently,” he confessed ashamed.

“You say that yet you are here selfishly trying to save me, knowing if you take me the Umbragon will destroy your people, our people, when it destroys the tree,” she point out unimpressed.

Thistle scowled and let his hand fall back to his side. “Love makes you do stupid things, doesn’t it?” he asked rhetorically, thinking of his mother and Branch.

She laughed with contempt for a moment, rolling her eyes. “Is that what you think this is? I gave up my real love to save my people. You want to save a crush to protect your own feelings.”

Thistle flinched at the harsh words and his frown was becoming a hard angry line.

“I wasn’t going to abandon my people,” he barked back agitated. “Once Branch wakes up, he can pull the sword free…”

“Your brother is dying,” Azalea snapped back. “Get a hold of reality, Prince Thistle. There is no one to save anyone. You cling to false hope,” she said cynically.

Thistle’s expression became neutral, even as he felt a scrap of pity for her. He could relate to her words all too easily. “Not for long, I know how to save him. I have faith my brother is worthy enough to pull out Balfour, I can’t think of anyone better for the task,” he said with sincerity.

Her eyes widened and she looked up, baffled. “What do—”

Thistle didn’t let her finish. “You have someone you love?” he asked suddenly, quietly. His heart ached a little as he said the words and he didn’t know why but he wasn’t thinking of Azalea when he said them. His voice sounded vulnerable and his gaze was distant as he pondered the sensation. The longing in his chest he had been ignoring for years as he had tried to chase after the affection of his father.

Azalea was staring at him thoughtfully, silent for a moment. “I do,” she finally said simply. She smiled softly looking away. “He is a very kind troll, noble and strong… He’s an old friend of mine and one of my knights but…” she frowned and shook her head as she realized she was speaking too freely and her voice became guarded. “It does not matter anymore.”

Thistle caught her words and tone and gave her a dry smile. “I’m not usually one to be hopeful myself, but don’t give up just yet, Princess Azalea. I can’t promise you’ll get back to him, but I’ll try to make sure it happens. You should give him a chance, you deserve to be happy too, you know. It’s what your people would want for you.”

She looked startled and stared at him thoughtfully as he took a pace away as if he was headed for the door.

“Prince Thistle.”

He stopped, staring back at her curiously.

“Why did you pursue me? Even after I rejected you?” she asked inquisitively.

Thistle frowned caught off guard. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I suppose it’s because you are beautiful and would have been a good match. I am supposed to marry a princess after all,” he shrugged.

She smirked contemptuously at the flattery, giving him a sharp gaze. “That is it? You fell for my appearance without even knowing what I was like inside? No offense, your highness, but that is rather dense of you.”

He smirked back with a bit of scorn in his expression. “I suppose it is. Looking back now I don’t know what I was thinking, I don’t even feel the same way anymore when I look at you. I don’t know what started it to be honest.”

Azalea’s smile faltered and she looked troubled once more. “You’ve surprised me, Prince Thistle,” she admitted and he frowned wondering what she meant. “Perhaps you are not so bad yourself after all. Maybe your family deserves a second glance on my part.”

He laughed sarcastically at that. “I would hold off on that verdict for a bit. I’m not sure you will think that once everyone finds out the truth in a bit. But…as for my family,” he smiled fondly, looking away. “Try not to judge them so fast yourself, princess. No one in my family is bad. A few of us are just a bit dense as you said.”

She gave him a concerned frown, obviously finding his words perplexing. “Regardless, you have done me a kindness,” she said standing up and he stiffed as she walked up to him. “So I need to return the favor,” she said looking up at him, for the first time he heard genuine softness in her voice. But it didn’t catch his breath. In fact, he didn’t even feel his heart racing because she was so close, only his nervousness at her words. He felt afraid for some reason and he couldn’t explain it.

“Tell me, I know it is a long tradition for the Crown Prince of your people to wed a princess to keep the main bloodline strong… But does it always have to be so? Why did you follow me when you obviously loved that guard of yours? Do you truly believe you are not free to be happy too?” she asked, her eyes piercing, even compassionate.

Thistle felt his heart skip a beat and sink in his chest, his eyes going wide. “Rose?” he asked confused, his voice catching painfully as he said her name and a sense of guilt returning sharply to stab at him.

“I know it is too late…” she sighed sadly and he stiffened as she took his hand. “I am sorry for your loss, Prince Thistle. Perhaps I shouldn’t even be mentioning this…but, you obviously cared a great deal for her. When I heard you singing and saw the way you were looking at her… I realized how you felt about her and perhaps you just had not realized it yourself yet, or admitted it for that matter, or you were like me…afraid to love her back because you knew you had to marry for your people and family and not for yourself one day. I don’t know what your history with her was…but someone who sings like that for another is only for one reason: love,” she said looking up at him.

Thistle was staring down into the princess’s eyes with horror. He…he loved Rose?

He felt his heart give way, beat painfully as he recalled the past two weeks and remember how he had felt betrayed, seeing Rose get closer to Branch… His bitterness and jealousy growing with their easy friendship and as it became obvious to him that Rose had started to develop feelings for Branch… How his anger had boiled out of control with everything going wrong in his life, including with the one troll he had come to rely on the most over the years and feeling like he was losing her too.

His mind was suddenly playing the countless times they had trained together growing up and even after when they had started their expeditions. How their dancing with weapons had always sent a delighted thrill in him each time when they trained together. Excitement and even an urge to smile going through him that he had suppressed as they exchanged perfectly coordinated blows and relaxed enough to taunt each other in a friendly manner, even laughing once in a while when they tripped each other up. Only when they were alone, only for their formal status barriers to push up again afterwards that had made his heart twinge each time. Each time he had ignored it and kept himself focused, distant and cold even as she sadly watched on with acceptance, even as they ignored the draw to each other.

The countless times he had leapt in front of her in a fight to take a hit for her without a second thought and how she in turn had always done the same for him. His fear and worry never weakening and only growing stronger over the years with his absolute trust in her and how difficult it had progressively gotten to ignore those feelings…

“Prince Thistle?” He didn’t hear Azalea’s voice.

Instead he heard Rose’s voice that time she had brought him back from the darkness, when he had wanted to die when his father never came to see him after being mortally wounded… Her voice alone had brought him back, given him a reason to fight and live again.

How he couldn’t bring himself to even think of killing her much less letting her get seriously injured when he had fought her when he was black, even feeling pain inside when he had cut her face. How wrong it had felt to even fight her in that moment and how conflicted he had felt underneath the all-consuming rage when she had begged him to let go of his anger. The torn sensation he had felt in his chest under the madness as she was tied up and then later thrown into the cell and lied about her fate, how hard the words had been to get past his teeth.

As if he could deny that truth any longer. Yes…he was in love with Rose and he had treated her most undeservingly so.

Oh by the hair…he _was_ dense!

How was it that it was only dawning on him now?! He couldn’t believe it!

He couldn’t believe how twisted he had behaved, especially to her of all trolls! How could he have allowed it to happen, to let his anger and pain get so out of control? Apologizing certainly didn’t seem enough, maybe he’d try groveling.

Why did it suddenly feel alright to ignore all those barriers they had kept between them all these years and simply forsake them? He didn’t know why he had allowed it in the first place anymore but if he could guess why, it probably would be the pain he had been holding onto for years, afraid to love anyone again or to be loved in return. But now that it was gone… What was stopping him? Surely, not a ridiculous notion that she wasn’t a princess. Why did that even have to matter, did it really make a difference? He could always just ask Branch and Poppy to let one of their children be the next heir if it mattered so much! Screw protocol! Well, that was assuming he lived that long and Rose even bothered to give him a millionth and one second chance. Why was he even thinking about this right now? He had to get to her first and pray she would let him explain before killing him!

“Prince Thistle?” Azalea asked concerned once again. The prince was staring frozen and stiff with his eyes wide for at least a minute now. She shook his hand and he finally blinked, making her sigh in relief.

“Oh by the Mother…” he suddenly gasped aloud, the pain and guilt wrenching in his chest. Shame coursing through him as he realized his own idiocy and years of denial suddenly mounting up inside him to bark at his apparent stubborn self-inflicted blindness.  “She’s definitely going to kill me now,” he groaned, his hand slapping his face and he didn’t blame her either, he could already see it.

“What?” Azalea asked more confused, even frustrated with his cryptic mutterings.

Thistle ignored her, his chaotic thoughts going on another tangent.

The events of two days ago were playing in his head and everything before and since. He realized she probably wouldn’t forgive him this time and his heart seized, knowing just how much he had wronged her and his brother as he went over the memories.

Rose was going to choke him, he was positive of it now. She always did when he royally pissed her off when he did something stupid, she was the only one that had ever gotten away with it and now it was obvious why that was. It had happened a few times over the years since they were kids in training and he never had let anyone do that but her. She was the only troll that ever broken from protocol when she knew he needed to hear what she had to yell or scold him for. He was sure she was going to kill him this time, he was positive in fact, that she would. She was going to strangle him till he somehow turned purple again. He was so dead sure of it that he could stake his life on it.

And if she didn’t kill him by some miracle, he was sure his brother would when he recovered. Thistle couldn’t blame either of them at this point and by all rights he admitted yet again that he deserved it. The epiphanies just kept coming today. He didn’t expect either of them to forgive him and strangely enough he was alright with that, all he knew was that he had to straighten this mess out _now_! It was all he could do to make it up to them.

“Prince Thistle!” Azalea snapped starting to lose her nerve, shaking his body this time to snap him out of whatever petrified shock he was in.

“I’m sorry Princess, I really have to go now,” he said urgently suddenly coming back to the present and blinking disoriented. He lifted her hand quickly and gave it a kiss in gratitude before letting it go. “Thank you,” he said sincerely with bit of a wry smile before he rushed off.

“Y-you are welcome?” she responded by second nature even though she was obviously still very much lost with whatever had just happened.

But Thistle was already gone, shoving the door open and startling the guards as he raced down the hallways and to the elevator to race to the dungeons below.

By the Mother Troll Tree and all the hair in the world, he hoped and prayed it wasn’t too late to fix everything he had made a mess of!

He had to get Poppy the potion and her to Branch so she could save him. Apologize to Rose and tell her how he felt and pray his death was swift once he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh, I thought the ending was funny, but maybe it's just me? You guys didn't honestly think I was going to give you a Broppy reunion in troll heaven, did you? I hope not! Because what a bunch of pessimists and cynics you are if that is the case! Anyways that is next chapter, it turns out this chapter was a lot bigger than originally expected and I started it over two times before saying screw it to my chapter limit. But I believe this is enough to calm you all down a bit for now worrying about our favorite Broppy pair. But seriously, now I have to get to work, I have a lot to catch up on. I'll fix errors later. Bye! Until next chapter! :D


	24. True Colors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd apologize because this chapter is long...but I am not going to, every moment is worth it. As always thank you for your beautiful comments, all of you! 100+ comments, I can't believe it! You all make my day! Enjoy some well-earned happiness and hopefully only happy tears!

* * *

 

Two days, Rose couldn’t believe they had been in the cell for two days already without food or water. Without any sunlight down in the dungeon it seemed like a blur of time for the trolls without training. But she was keeping time thanks to the subtle changes in the ambient temperature, the waning of the torch light and just by feeling how the roots of the Mother Troll Tree breathed that made up the side walls of their cell. The energy of the tree always slowed down at night and sped up during the day thanks to the sun.

Poppy kept slipping in and out of sleep the past two days as she got weaker and now she was even turning white. She was the palest kind of grey and her hair and fingers and feet and parts of her faces were already a pale white tinged with just the slightest pink and it was spreading. Her friends stayed huddled around her turning grey themselves and without speaking, just leaning on each other for support.

Rose had forgotten how contagious the mood of grey trolls could be, it was having an effect on her and her comrades. Especially with Carter not recovering very well, he had a fever and twitched in his sleep, his wound was now infected. So they were all a little down but Rose kept a determined face as she clawed at the edge of their cell by the bars, ripping at the wood and soil, apologizing to the tree mentally for injuring her.

“Rose, your hands are bleeding again,” Holly murmured coming up to her side.

“I know,” Rose sighed with a dry throated making it burn but she had lasted longer without water before.

She was ignoring the pain of splinters in her skin, cutting through the makeshift bandages she had already wrapped around them ripped off the legs of her pants for the earlier cuts. She had been tearing away at the small hole for two days now, switching places occasionally with one of her friends so she could rest. But so far she was taking the longest shifts and had the worst cuts on her hands. She was stubbornly determined to get Poppy out and to Branch. If they could make the hole big enough for the teaspoon troll, Smidge, to get out from then they had a chance.

“Let me take a turn,” Moss yawned coming up to her.

“No, go rest, both of you,” Rose repeated. “You haven’t slept enough in three days,” she ordered without looking at Moss or Holly.

Moss grumbled and went and sat next to Carter who was lying on the floor asleep and sweating, rags on his forehead which Moss moved and cleaned again. Holly sat on the other side of Carter, ripping off more or her leg’s pants to use for bandages or a rag.

“Let me take a turn,” Ivy’s voice cut in sounding angrier by every hour that passed by. “I need to break something anyways,” she growled.

Rose frowned, her hands throbbing painfully and he paused, looking at Ivy and her fiery gaze. Rose couldn’t blame her anger, Thistle had her locked down here as leverage to make sure Robin stayed in line and went with the report he was going to give his family. Robin had been devastated to be ripped apart from his mate in such a way, Ivy however was furious. They had only recently started dating but Rose had always known there had been chemistry between them for a few years now and this situation only further proved it.

“Alright,” Rose relented and stood up, dusting the dirt and wood chips off her legs. She could see Ivy needed to get some of her anger out and Rose knew she could do with the break.

She walked over to the two groups close together and sat between them in the little space between Holly and Poppy.

Queen Poppy was currently leaning against DJ Suki. Sensing Rose’s presence Poppy opened her dull pink eyes and looked up, trying to smile.

“Hey,” she said weakly.

Rose smiled back, trying to feel brave and unafraid as she looked more closely at the Queen’s condition. It wasn’t good, Poppy was dying and she figured it was because Branch was dying too, which set a painful lump in Rose’s throat.

“Hey, Poppy. How are you feeling? The hole is almost big enough for Smidge to get out of,” she told her hoping to lift her spirits.

Smidge blinked her large blue open from where she sat leaning against Biggie as she heard her name. She then stood up, stretching and looking over at the hole Ivy was currently working on.

“Really?” Poppy sighed sounding a little relieved. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold on,” she said sounding soul shriveled. “I don’t know what it is…but, I think Branch…” she gasped, shaking, fighting a sudden sob.

Suki pulled her in, wrapping her arm around her and Rose placed a comforting touch on the pink troll’s shoulder, worried.

“We’ll get you out of here and to him, I promise,” Rose growled determined. It felt like the hundredth time she had made that promise and each time she did, she worried more and more that she might not be able to keep it.

“What about the guards?” Guy suddenly asked.

“We’ll have to make a diversion. I know some secret hallways in the tree that we can use. But it does mean some of us might have to get captured again. Thistle probably has this place and outside it guarded with the trolls loyal to him,” Rose surmised as she explained her plan her face pinching up angrily. “I’ll have to stay with Poppy, in case Thistle catches us. I’m the only one that has a chance against him in hand to hand combat.”

“You keep calling him without a title,” Holly pointed out suddenly and quietly, giving Rose a sideways glance.

Rose snorted. “He’s not here and if he were I’d punch his face into a wall and tie him up so I could slap him,” she seethed vehemently ripping a piece of cloth off her pants with a loud tear.

Moss chuckled and the Snack Pack shirked away, making shocked faces.

Poppy however smiled and let out a small giggle, for some reason she just got it. She wondered if she was finally losing her mind or if it was because of the sensations Branch had shared with her through her dreams. She usually wouldn’t have laughed at the idea of such violence, but she had a bit of a vengeful nature herself.

“You must really like him if he makes you so mad,” she smiled before coughing, expended from the short burst of laughter.

Rose frowned, seeming to calm down with the words. Her gaze became longing and hurt and she looked a bit uncomfortable. “I… care about him, sure. What can I say? He’s our prince. Sometimes he just really irks me but…” she said carefully before she fell silent and looked ahead.

“Ugh, Rose, just let it out,” Holly grumbled.

Rose looked at her startled, frowning.

“We all know you’re in love with him, you can stop acting like you need to hide it in front of us,” Holly said rolling her eyes as she placed new rags on Carter’s head.

“What?” Rose asked incredulously, glaring at her friends.

“She’s right,” Moss shrugged. “I mean it took me a bit to figure it out but apparently everyone in our group knows about it. I mean, we didn’t want to say anything of course.”

“That’s because you’re denser than a rock, Moss, and Rose would have blown up if we had pointed it out,” Holly teased with a slight grin.

“Hey!” he barked. “Don’t make me go over there and…and…” he stumbled and Holly only grinned wider.

“Oh, get a room already you two!” Rose snapped making them both freeze and turn large eyes on her. Moss coughed and blushed while Holly stayed frozen. Rose smirked smugly as she got them to be quiet while also shocking them and getting her revenge. She wasn’t surprised really that they knew about her feelings but they had never dared talk about it till now, they were right, it usually upset her.

“So you love him? Even after what he did?” Poppy asked with quiet curiosity, trying to understand after what she had just heard and Rose turned to look at her. “You don’t think he loves you back?” Poppy asked confused, it was difficult. Personally, she only knew the bad side of Thistle that she had seen so far but through Branch’s dream memories, Thistle was a lot more complex than she had known so far.

Rose was frowning deeply, obviously the words hit a sore spot and Poppy frowned as the other trolls fell into an awkward silence.

“No, he doesn’t. Even after what he did…” Rose sighed and she was removing the splinters carefully from her hands, wincing occasionally. “I still love him, that won’t ever change I think. I know that wasn’t him back there as hard as it was, but it hurt more to see he had turned black than what he did to us. I know the real him is still in there, somewhere, he didn’t kill us after all and he was acting out because he was hurt. If he really was lost he would have finished the job, he wouldn’t have risked bring us here,” she said certain. “I just wish I could have helped him more, helped understand his anger and let it go,” she said clearly troubled. “But all of that doesn’t matter anyways, he likes this pretty princess, not someone like me,” she said bitingly, surprised by the bitterness and jealousy in her own voice.

Holly frowned and looked like she wanted to say something.

Poppy stared her thoughtfully, something in her gut telling her otherwise. “I think he does like you, he sang to you from the heart.”

The others in the cell gasped, even Ivy looked up startled from her digging. Rose was as red as a beet, as red as she could get that even her cheeks turned a dark purple as she stared at Poppy.

“H-How...did you know that?” she grimaced obviously trying to digest this embarrassing situation as the others gaped. “Did…Branch see him sing…and you dreamt it from him?” she finally choked out.

Poppy nodded, smiling just a little. She knew it, she also got the feeling Branch had come to the same conclusion. “I think even Branch thinks Thistle has feelings for you.”

Rose gulped and she looked almost hopeful for a second before she shook her head stubbornly.

“No, he doesn’t,” she repeated sadly, sure of it even as her heart wanted to beg and hope otherwise with the little evidence it had.

“Rose, I think you’re crazy, no offense,” Holly cut in frowning at her disappointed. Rose turned to stare at her surprised. “You’re amazing! How can anyone not like you? Sure you can be a little rough and you have a nasty temper when you blow up and your solution to everything is to hit them...”

Rose at this point was staring annoyed.

“But look, you’re pretty, no, you’re more than pretty. If you cared about your appearance a little more you’d look way better than Princess Azalea,” Holly argued.

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes. “As if, plus that’s a waste of time.”

“See, that’s your problem right there!” Holly argued pointing at her. “Imagine if you did something with your hair and wore something pretty, Crown Prince Thistle would totally be left staring. It’s because you dress and act like a tomboy so much that of course he doesn’t see you like anything else!”

Rose scowled and let out a huff, rolling her eyes as she cleaned off her hands. They were bleeding and she began to wrap the new bandages around the wounds, one hand at a time.

“And he is closer to you than anyone else,” Holly continued. “Not even Carter is that close to him! When he ever wants advice for a fight or scouting or something he always looks to you first.”

“I’m his second in command, of course he asks me,” Rose retorted but Holly interrupted her.

“Yeah! And why did he pick you as second in command in the first place? Not just because of how skilled and smart you are but because he _trusts_ you and he likes you! You need to have a little more confidence in yourself,” she continued on heatedly. “He even sang for you! For the Mother, he _hates_ singing and music and _he sang for you!_ How dense can you be? It obviously means you’re important to him! If you want him to look at you and realize how he feels about you then you need to make the first move, stop being so scared and all rules around him.”

“That would be inappropriate! He’s the Crown Prince,” Rose snapped back losing her patience.

Holly rolled her eyes unconvinced. “Like that ever stopped you from yelling at him or something when you had to do it. What’s the worst that can happen? What are you afraid of, Rose?”

“I might lose him!” Rose spat suddenly enraged, tired of the badgering and Holly flinched as Rose’s temper flared to life. “I might lose any trust and respect he has for me, that’s what I might lose!” she yelled crossly. “And…” her voice faltered, cracking. “I can’t live with that, him pushing me away forever, and it might even be too late for that now… He only sang to me because he was practicing to sing for the princess,” she muttered bitterly while looking down at her hands, her eyes watering as she finished bandaging one hand and just stared at it.

Holly fell silent, sulking and leaning back against the wall she sat against.

“Has a troll ever gone back from turning black?” Poppy asked, interrupting the silence as she felt her eyes drooping.

Rose grimaced and wiped her eyes quickly. “Not that I know of,” she admitted.

“I’m sure he can get his colors back, it’s not too late,” Poppy said trying to sound bright. “Branch got his colors back and helped us all get our colors back when it all looked like it was over.”

Rose didn’t look convinced but she looked a little hopeful. “I hope so,” she agreed.

“I think Holly is right, though,” Poppy tried to force herself to smile but it was hard, especially when she wasn’t feeling it. “He definitely has feelings for you. The way he sang to you…it’s the way a troll would sing for someone important they loved. If you’re worried about your looks then we can give you a makeover,” she grinned with actual enthusiasm even though she could hardly bear to move. “You would look really pretty in a dress and your hair…if we tied it up and combed it out a bit it would look like a rose in bloom.”

“Oh that would be so pretty!” Satin cooed.

“And with a green dress with lace!” Chenille added with sparking eyes already looking at her sister as they thought the same thing.

Rose tried to smile but she looked uncomfortable and unsure. “Well, no point in it now. Even if we do get out of here…” she scowled. “I’m probably going to choke him first for being an idiot and for doing this in the first place,” she huffed angry again.

Holly and Moss chuckled together. “That’s Rose, alright.”

Feeling a little more positive, Poppy smirked until a sinister energy suddenly choked the air.

Everything grew darker in the dungeon and the shadows felt like they crept underneath them and the earth softly began to quake. A hissing wind suddenly blew through the corridors, the torches blew out and the air chilled with the breath of winter till they all shivered. The glow of the mushrooms faltered.

“What’s happening!” Cooper yelled suddenly jumping up and scrambling.

“Don’t be scared, Mr. Dinkles—Ah!” Biggie toppled over as the cell began to shake violently.

Poppy tumbled out of Suki’s grip and Rose caught her in her arms, plastering herself against the wall with the Queen. Horror washed through Rose in an instant as with the other warriors as they recognized the familiar calamity taking hold of the tree.

They had to wait. Wait till it was over.

The earth was groaning, little stones dancing and clattering on the floor, and the smell of rot suddenly perfumed the air and the atmosphere felt like it was compressing around them, building pressure inside their ears.

“Hang on tight!” Rose yelled over the noise. “Stay close to the walls!” Her red hair whipped over and lassoed the giraffe troll’s neck, making him choke and splutter as she yanked him back against the wall and floor before letting him go.

Poppy shook with fear, clutching Rose’s arm as darkness swallowed them.

Then the shaking stopped and it was dark, Poppy was breathing hard and fast. She could hear her heartbeat and she could hear the frightened panting of her friends as they all huddled together in the darkness.

“It’ll be over soon,” Rose whispered, her voice echoing in the silence.

A petrifying chill suddenly crept through her and the others could feel it too, they stiffened. The floor was cold, the walls were cold, and the air was even colder.

A black light suddenly rippled, slinked out of the walls like a withering snake and shot through the air. The glowing purplish light surged straight for them and Rose gasped, pushing Poppy back and behind her.

“No!”

Rose gasped as the coldest feeling shot into her chest, chilled and grappled into her bones, deep into her body with a darkness so foreboding she felt an utter sense of hopelessness and desire to cry as she held in a screech. But the sensation channeled through her and the dark light pelted straight into the troll she was trying to protect.

Poppy couldn’t hold in the scream as the frightening cold sensation swallowed her, drowned over her skin and withered its way inside. It felt like for a moment that all the happiness in the world was dying, leaving everything dark, cold, and dead. Tears prang to her eyes as it swallowed all sense of light and life. It settled, nestling inside like a creature that had sunk into her insides and a cold shiver running down from her head. Poppy opened her eyes to see herself glowing with a strange purplish white light from her skin and rose had a faint glow as well.

Poppy was gasping, shivering against Rose’s back who was also breathing hard. The glow dissipated and the luminescence of the mushrooms hanging on the roof against the hard earth walls began to brighten once more.

“Wha-what just happened?” Suki gasped scrambling over to check on Poppy.

Rose fell forward, trying to still the panic making her heartbeat rampage after the terrifying sensation she had just felt.

Poppy trembled and fell, falling into her friends arms as they huddled around her.

“Poppy!”

“Your head!”

Rose gasped and turned around, her hand pressed to her chest as she tried to calm herself. But she didn’t care for that as she scrambled over to Poppy, pushing her way through the gathered trolls.

As she got closer she stared down in horror as she recognized the mark on Poppy’s forehead among her bangs.

“Y-you’ve been marked,” she gasped in disbelief. How could this be?

Poppy was shivering and she opened her eyes to look up, her eyes widening. “Th-there’s something on your forehead too,” she whispered pointing up.

Rose stared horrified, her hand shooting up to her forehead where she quickly found a cold spot that made her shiver. She felt a hand on her shoulder yank and make her turn around, she was met with the concerned eyes of Holly, Moss and Ivy.

“You _do_ have it too!” Holly said mortified. “I mean it’s a lot lighter but it’s still there!”

“How’s that even possible?” Moss asked confused. “The Umbragon only picks kids!”

“I think it’s because she got in the way of the shadow trying to mark Queen Poppy… I mean it went right through you and then to her, didn’t it?” Holly added with wide eyes.

Rose felt a shiver go down her spine but she grimaced and nodded. Carefully she yanked her own bangs over her face to hide the faded mark.

“I have a bad feeling,” Rose muttered. “If Poppy got marked than it’s probably because Branch got marked again, he was marked before. So of course it would mark his soul mate too.”

“Wait, what?!” Poppy gasped suddenly coming alive and even trying to sit up.

Rose turned to her frowning, there was no point hiding it now as she kneeled in front of the queen to tell her the story. “Branch’s mom and grandma took him away from here when he was just a baby, just a few days old. I was just a kid then and it’s forbidden to talk about it but you should know, not even Branch knows as far as I know. But the reason Queen Rosemary and her mom took Branch was because he was marked to be the sacrifice to the Umbragon that year,” she explained quietly.

Poppy felt her heart seize, her soul mate was supposed to be eaten by the Umbragon as a baby? She couldn’t believe how horrible this was! No wonder his mother and grandmother has whisked him away! It was like fate had it out for him since the very beginning!

“But that’s not everything,” Moss added grimly.

Rose nodded in agreement. “When he was taken away the Umbragon became…enraged and almost destroyed the Mother Troll Tree and our kingdom. King Oak tried to fight back but we lost a lot of trolls trying…like my parents,” she sighed looking down at the ground and taking a moment.

Poppy gasped, reaching forward with all the strength she could muster and taking Rose’s hand. Rose looked up a bit surprised and smiled gratefully before she continued.

“So King Oak had to offer the other children from the other kingdoms to stop it,” Rose explained sadly, her eyes full of dark pain. “We lost a lot of trolls that day, our own people and the children of others to stop it and that’s why it eats three trolls every five years now, as punishment for taking Branch. And since then King Oak has been looking for his family and forcing more kingdoms to be our kingdom’s vassals even by force, to satisfy the monster’s hunger every time it wakes up while also looking for his lost family.”

Poppy frowned thoughtfully and troubled, unsure of what to say. “You said Branch doesn’t know?” she finally whispered, she could only imagine how devastated he would be when he found out. She had a sinking feeling he had already found out in fact, just by the dream they had shared with the countless children they couldn’t save.

“As far as I know, no,” Rose said shaking her head. “Like I said it’s forbidden to talk about it, but considering what a twisted plot Thistle used us in…Branch might know now. I wouldn’t put it past Thistle to make sure Branch found out.”

Poppy sighed tiredly and squeezed Rose’s hands. “I think he does know…the other day before Thistle caught us I dreamt about hundreds of little trolls…” she choked on the words, she couldn’t believe it was true. “He knows. Branch, knows…” she whispered trying to hold back her tears as suddenly his pain and guilt from the dream made sense.

The Snack Pack gathered around more closely, murmuring in reassurance as they gave Poppy a hug. Rose took her hands and turned away, feeling her heart was heavy for her friends. This entire situation was a mess.

“Let’s get this hole done,” she said suddenly fiery and full of energy.

It was harder to see now but she and Ivy started digging at the hole again and soon a good chunk splintered off the tree root wall and Rose began to use it as a shovel. There was no point lighting the area with their hair, it took to much concentration to do. Soon, Rose’s hands were bleeding again but she ignored the pain and the smell and the wet oozing making her fingers sticky.

She was digging with Ivy for at least thirty minutes when her skin prickled and she felt a familiar tension go through her head and to her hair. She knew this feeling and he wasn’t going to ignore it now.

“Thistle is coming,” she hissed suddenly pushing Ivy against the wall and she plastered herself next to her.

“How do you know?” Smidge asked as she scooted to the wall too. She had been standing nearby.

“I just do,” Rose muttered and she signaled to Moss and Holly who were crouching next to Carter’s still form after hearing her words. “Move into the shade, I’ll get Thistle. You two launch your hair and knock out any guards and tie them up. Hopefully he has keys on him…” she whispered.

Holly and Moss quickly and quietly moved further into the shade of the cell, each taking up a place some ways away from Rose, ready.

Rose put her finger on her mouth, quietly telling them all to shush and the Snack Pack stared quietly and waiting with unblinking eyes. Poppy was still somehow awake but she was slipping again, it was obvious in her eyes.

Rose strained her ears and they twitched as she sought the subtle sounds of moving steps. To her surprised she only heard one set of feet, running…quickly impacting the earth… The soft jingle of keys on a key ring echoing down the hallway like bells… Panting… Then her eyes adjusted as torchlight came down the hallway.

She held her breath counting, signaling to her comrades that it was only one troll. They both looked surprised but kept focused, their eyes locked to the bars.

The breathing got louder, the paces got louder…

The source of the light was suddenly before the bars and Rose jumped, she didn’t wait.

Her hair twisted out in an instant and shot through two of the bars and slammed straight into a body.

“Gaugh!” came out a surprised cry.

Gritting her teeth, Rose yanked back and Thistle’s body slammed into the bars. More hair shot out from behind her and tied his arms to the bars as he dropped his torch and it rolled.

“Got you!” Rose barked victoriously as she yanked the keys out of his hand easily. Too easily…his grip was weak in fact.

She straightened up and her green eyes met his calm blue eyes…in a face of grey in the weak firelight of the torch on the floor and Rose gasped.

“Thistle…you’re…grey?”

“I knew you were going to choke me,” he muttered unsurprised, ignoring her question. “Though, I thought it would be a lot tighter,” he admitted almost sounding disappointed.

Rose didn’t know how to feel but the others were confused. She however was fighting relief and anger. His voice…his voice was back to normal! And so were his eyes! Sure, he may be grey but… _this_ was Thistle! He was back! Her heart felt like it could leap with joy with just the idea alone.

“You…” she stumbled, she was pressed up against the bars now but her hair did not relax around his neck as she stared at him, conflicted. “You’re not black anymore.”

He let out a loud sigh and shook his head. “No, not anymore,” he agreed and he frowned deeply, looking into her eyes and she could not look away. “I’m back,” he smiled a little sarcastically. “I know sorry won’t begin to cover it…”

“Cover it!” Rose suddenly screamed and her hair squeezed around his throat and he coughed unable to keep talking. “Ha! Cover it!? You’re a long way from sorry from just covering it!” she yelled her hands suddenly grabbing his shirt and shaking him. “You’re an IDIOT! You tried killing your own brother and his mate!  You hurt us! You had CARTER get hurt! You threatened Robin and made everyone lie for you! Not to mention probably every other stupid thing you’ve probably done in this whole twisted plot of yours! And you made me so sick and worried!” she howled not caring what she said at that point anymore. “Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it!” she screeched into his face.

Everyone’s ears drooped with the shrill sound now ripping through their sensitive ears and the anger Rose exuded into the air. Thistle however looked the most terrified but he kept a stiff face even as he was gagging, trying to breathe.

Rose was fuming, huffing violently out of her nose as she glared straight into Thistle’s eyes. He swallowed and didn’t struggle staring back, waiting. Moments of tension slipped by and he suddenly gasped as Rose’s red hair loosened around his neck but she was still glaring, air hissing between her teeth as she breathed furiously trying to calm down.

“I know,” he muttered back. “So choke me all you want Rose, it’s fine. I’ll accept it, I deserve it,” he sighed. “But first let me help, we need to get Poppy to Branch. I have the potion that will get her bond back with my brother. There’s no time to waste.”

Poppy gasped relieved and happy, tears in her eyes as she heard the information and it even lent her some strength to stay awake. She even tried pushing herself up but couldn’t as she slumped back between Suki and the twins’ arms.

Rose finally seemed to calm down, looking surprised, searching his gaze. She let go of Thistle’s shirt and her hair even unwound from around his neck a moment later as if she had found her answer in her search. Moss and Holly exchanged a look and they let go of his arms, their hair returning to place.

Thistle sighed, rubbing his throat and looking at Rose. He looked troubled, like he had something on his mind.

“Want me to open the door?” he asked quietly. “We need to get Carter to a doctor too.”

Rose unfroze, blinking surprised as looked at the keys in her hands. Her arm slipped through the bars but she didn’t give him the keys. Instead, she watched him warily as turned the key ring and the key slipped into the keyhole quietly. She stiffened, ready to attack when Thistle’s hand landed on hers, but he moved with such controlled slowness she wasn’t sure how to react. She didn’t feel threatened by his movement, but there was a tight knot in her stomach.

And he didn’t do anything. He just touched the bandages around her hand and fingers and stare at them, frowning. He noticed the hole on the floor near the wall and between the bars that went to the cell door before looking back at her.

“You’re bleeding, Rose,” he said with obvious displeasure.

She scowled, confused by the gentle touch that had her frozen and suddenly burning up and her heart racing. “Yeah, so? Carter is worse off than me, though,” she said bitingly, trying to control the strange emotions suddenly invoked in her just by the familiar and foreign touch and she stood there stiffly with the key ready to be turned.

Thistle didn’t say anything, his other hand slipped into the bars and reached for her face. Rose stiffened like a concerned animal and the other silently gasped and watched as the Crown Prince’s hand landed on Rose’s cut cheek, gently rubbing the scab as he frowned.

“Does it hurt?” he asked quietly.

“Wha-what…no,” she stuttered frozen with eyes wide open. “What are you doing?” she suddenly growled, distrusting, suspicious and glared.

He frowned, his brow knitting together as he looked troubled, as if he was trying to figure out what to say. His eyes searched hers and then his eyes narrowed and his hand moved up, brushing her bangs aside. A horrified expression crossed his face as he sucked in a sharp breath.

“You…how…you were marked?” he whispered, eyes wide with panic.

Rose didn’t know how to feel at this point as she saw such open expressions from Thistle. She felt like she was being left behind in the dust, confused by his behavior.

“I tried to protect Poppy but the shadow went through me and marked her anyways,” Rose explained quietly. “But it left a mark behind on me too,” she sighed, unsure of what it meant.

Thistle suddenly growled, his other hand snaked in and cupped her back, pressing Rose into the bars and into him as his other hand cupped her cheek again.

“I won’t let it happen,” he growled angrily. “If Branch can’t take out the sword then by all the hair in the world I will burn the tree if I have to just to get Balfour out!” he spat holding a shocked Rose close.

“Th-Thistle…what are you doing? What are you saying?” she gasped, afraid and uncertain by his unusual behavior and she wiggled like she wanted to get away, but the effort was weak. She didn’t want to get away from a touch she had wanted for so long, she was torn. “You’re acting really strange!”

“Rose…I…” he bit his lip, looking frustrated. Suddenly he lunged in and their lips met as he kissed her with a hungry and passionate fervor.

Everyone gasped and Rose stiffened with shock even as her heart tried to race. Even as something inside her tried to keep her still as a burning seemed to sear from the inside from her heart and deep inside from a dark unknown. Rose’s skin starting to glow literally around her face from where their lips met and not with blush but sparkling with bright red light in a dancing radiance. Thistle’s skin was starting to glow too, color brimming back to life under the surface of grey.

“You owe me ten golden cupcakes,” Holly muttered to Moss who was still staring with his mouth wide open.

Poppy gasped happily as she saw the magic happening! Rose and Thistle were…!

The kiss didn’t even last a second as Rose shoved Thistle off and he let go without resistance, confused. Red hair launched forward and she was suddenly strangling him again.

“Gah!”

“ _You kissed me!_ ” she shrieked suddenly her hands yanking at his shirt again and shaking him, slamming him into the bars again.

“Oh boy,” Cooper muttered.

“Ugh,” Holly groaned facepalming herself.

Poppy grimaced.

“Hopeless,” Ivy muttered rolling her eyes.

“ _Why did you **kiss** me!?_” Rose screamed into his face, her face burning with anger and blush and the magical glow died instantly from both of their skins.

“Why are you yelling at me!?” he coughed back.

“BECAUSE YOU KISSED ME!” she roared into his face.

“Rose! Gah—!” he spluttered his hands trying to rip her hair away from his neck. “I’m—I’m trying to tell you that I love you, you crazy troll!”

Rose froze, his face was plastered into the bars only an inch from hers as he stared sourly at her and let out an exasperated huff.

“I didn’t think you’d choke me for kissing you… Noted, I’m sorry,” he grumbled embarrassed.

“Wh-what do you mean…you love me? What about Princess Azalea?” she whispered, her voice cracking with fear. Was this a dream? Some kind of joke? She stared at him with so much vulnerability she didn’t notice as her hair loosened and uncoiled but she didn’t let go of his shirt.

He sighed relieved, rubbing his sore neck again as he stared into her eyes. “What do you think I mean, Rose? I love you. I don’t love Azalea. I love _you_ , Rose. I always have. I’ve loved you for a long time, longer than I realized and singing to you made me realize... I…I just couldn’t…look it’s hard to explain. Can we talk about this later?” he asked glancing at the others and he flushed, he was actually blushing a purplish shade on his grey cheeks. He looked back at her, frowning clearly flustered by the situation and their audience. “When we are alone? I didn’t mean to startle you…it’s just I had to tell you before you or Branch killed me. I just couldn’t get the words past my mouth for some reason, kissing you seemed the easiest way to get the message across,” he muttered crankily and abashed. “I can understand if you don’t feel the same way anymore—mmph!”

He gasped as Rose suddenly yanked him forward, happy tears in her eyes as their lips smashed together again between the bars. This time she held him close and he seemed to melt into the contact a moment later, sighing and closing his eyes as he kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her again.

Again the glowing occurred, their skin burning to life and with color as they washed the dark word around them with their glow. Color washed and saturated back into existence across Thistle’s skin, returning his colors to him. He burned with a brilliant purple, his dark turquoise hair even seemed brighter.

Poppy’s heart was tight in her chest as she watched with a sparkle in her eyes. “They’re soul mates too!” she squealed thrilled as she watched their hair intertwine, a spark of light burning and lighting between them as their souls connected and rushed through their hair into their bodies. The warrior trolls stared at Poppy surprised for a moment then at their prince and lieutenant.

“Wow… Now _that_ , I wasn’t expecting,” Holly muttered with Ivy and Moss by her side.

“Ugh…I think I need sleep,” Moss muttered pressing his hand to his head. “This has got to be a dream.”

“Nope, they’re glowing alright,” Ivy grumbled with her arms crossed. “No dreams here.”

Rose and Thistle were lost in their own world, even as they gasped, breaking the kiss and opening their eyes to stare at one another, softly gasping for air after the intensity and energy the kiss had made. They still glowed as they looked into each other’s eyes, Thistle looking uncertain even with his arms wrapped around her through the bars and hugging her as close as he could with the obstacle in their way.

“You’re an idiot,” she whispered with just a slight smile.

He chuckled, smiling back. “Yeah, I know. Why do you think I always need you?” he whispered, smiling softly.

She giggled in his arms, pressing her nose to his and his smile widened as he nuzzled her back with his dark turquoise nose.

“So, can I take it that you still love me, Rose?” he whispered, hopeful.

“If I have to answer that, I’m going to hit you, Thistle,” she muttered back trying not to smile but it wasn’t working.

He grinned even wider. “You called me just by my name,” he said a little awed, overjoyed.

She smirked, letting out a small ironic laugh. “It would be weird if I didn’t otherwise, right? But don’t get too used it, my prince,” she teased, her hands lounging around his neck tenderly.

He growled at her annoyed and leaned in to kiss her again only for her to move her face at the last second. His lips pressed into her cheek instead and she laughed with the peals of merry jingling bells in her voice.

“Ehem!”

Poppy pouted as Holly cleared her throat so loudly. This was such a beautiful moment, how could anyone think of ruining it!?

Oh right, she had to get to Branch! She was suddenly panicked, worrying, wanting nothing more even if it cut the beautiful moment short. She felt bad about it but as she thought of her mate, probably dying…she wanted nothing more than to run to him.

Thistle and Rose broke apart, eyes wide as they both flushed with embarrassment and looked back at the group.

“Oh…right, sorry,” Rose muttered letting go of Thistle.

Thistle had a focused expression on his face again, even if he was still blushing a little and turned the key to the cell door. He pushed the door open, pausing just for a moment to smile at Rose, the tips of their fingers touching before he rushed over to Poppy.

She tried not to wince away as Thistle skidded to a halt next to her and kneeled before her. He pulled out a glowing golden potion out of his hair and presented it to her.

“Here, Queen Poppy. Drink it,” he commanded but his voice was oddly gentle. “Please, please…save my brother,” he begged looking her in the eyes as she took the potion and stared back at him. “I can’t lose him and my father, he’s my family and so are you. I’m sorry…for everything I’ve done. Truly, I am. I don’t expect you to forgive me but please let me help you save him and try to make it up to you both,” he said honestly, uncorking the bottle for her.

Poppy smiled at him, just a little. How could she stay mad when he was trying to make things right? After what he had just shown that change with Rose and gotten his colors back and was asking for forgiveness? Poppy didn’t believe in grudges after all.

“Call me, Poppy,” she answered. “And I’ll forgive you, Thistle…” but then she was frowning at him seriously. “But hurt Branch again and I’ll make you regret it,” she glared.

He chuckled and nodded. “Deal, Poppy.”

Poppy smirked satisfied and with a nervous last breath she chugged the potion. The golden light vanished into her mouth and into her throat, sparking and spreading like a warm cup of hot chocolate. It made her insides tingle and she felt the darkness that had conquered their bond start to melt away…

The light began to burn to life again and she gasped, sucking in a sharp breath as she pulled the empty bottle away from her lips. Everyone stared, waiting, hoping.

Poppy grimaced, letting out a small whine as a painful cold sensation emanated to her through Branch… He was so far away, getting farther and father and she couldn’t reach him, like he was blanketed with the grip of winter, with death.

“Something’s wrong,” she gasped, trying to fight a sob. “He’s so cold…and far away, I can’t reach him,” she whispered her eyes already trying to water. “I have to get to him!” she suddenly snapped determined, her hair glowed and a tendril lashed out, glowing…point the way.

The others gasped and even Thistle looked surprised. Poppy tried pushing herself up, Satin and Chenille exchanging worried glances as they propped Poppy up who tried to stand with shaking legs.

“You’re too weak,” Thistle grumbled standing up. “Let me carry you to him, it will be faster.”

Poppy grimaced and stared at him uncertain for a moment…but as her knees shook she knew there was no avoiding it. She was still too weak.

She gave him a mute nod and she gasped as he suddenly whisked her off her feet.

“Come on,” he ordered. “We don’t have time to waste! Moss, Holly, Ivy, get Carter to Dr. Sage’s office, his apprentice should be there with some of the nurses. The rest of you follow me.”

Ivy didn’t say anything as she marched up to the prince before he could move. Poppy stared and suddenly gasped as a hand struck across Thistle’s face. The others in the cell froze except Rose who didn’t look the least bit surprised.

He blinked shocked and glared, gritting his teeth as he met the flinty eyes of Ivy who didn’t wince. Huffing through his nose he glanced at Rose who was giving him an impassive look and shrugged.

“Don’t look at me, you deserved that,” she pointed out.

Thistle groaned and rolled his eyes and looked at Ivy again who was still glaring silently at him. “Fine, look, I’ll apologize to you two later. Can you just help get Carter to the healers? You can go to Robin straight afterwards. I confined him to the guard quarters. Get some food and rest and do whatever you want after that, all right?”

Ivy stared at him for a moment before she nodded once.

Thistle nodded once and walked around her, glanced at Carter for a moment with worry as Holly and Moss helped the delirious troll up.

“We’ll be fine, Crown Prince Thistle,” Moss promised. “We’ll be right behind you.”

“Just Prince Thistle if you like, Moss. Thistle, if you guys feel like it,” he snorted amused at his own words. “Get your wounds checked too and get some food and rest.”

Without another word he rushed Poppy out of the cell and down the hallway at a running pace, grabbing the torch with his hair and holding it up in the air. The Snack Pack and Rose quickly behind him and fighting to not struggle to keep up. Rose had the least trouble but stuck close to the group to make sure they didn’t get lost.

Soon they were before the elevator and Thistle pulled the lever as they all crammed in and he left the torch behind on the wall. Thankfully it was spacious enough, although Biggie did make a bit more of a tight fit.

Poppy’s hair still glowed, the sting ever moving and it finally stopped and settle back in place as the elevator move them up the floors. She wanted to stare out but she was too worried about her mate and she couldn’t help think of him with every second that passed by and painfully beat with her heart. She was desperately trying to reach him but it was like he was in a sleep she couldn’t reach him in…she could feel him dying and that tore at her heart worse than anything.

The elevator doors opened and suddenly there was a decorated corridor before them, the guards on either side looking started. Thistle brushed past them they looked even more confused as they saw him carrying an unknown grey-white troll than frightened as they noticed Rose and the other strange trolls with them.

Poppy had one hand clutched at her dress over her heart and the other holding on hard to Thistle’s shirt. She felt her heart beating, sinking in her chest as she finally felt like she was getting closer to Branch.

Her eyes fixed on the door as Thistle rounded the corner and strode in, voice talking.

“I don’t understand, so you don’t know why it picked him and the princess?” came a deep voice Poppy didn’t recognize.

“It could just be because they have what the beast is looking for in a troll,” said an old ragged voice that was hushed in tone.

“Or,” argued a far less patient voice, “it can be a mix of reasons. The shadow might be picking those strong enough that have the qualities to pull out Balfour. That can explain why no one has been able to pull it out in a thousand years. Perhaps, the monster always picks the ones with the potential to do so, with the right kind of spirit and magic in them that could free the sword. So it eats them instead to weaken the spell on it,” he muttered.

Poppy stopped listening, not even glancing at the three trolls in the room as her breath painfully caught in her chest as she saw the pale figure in the large bed under green sheets.

“Branch!” she gasped tears in her eyes as she saw the terrible sight of her weak, sick, dying soul mate.

She pushed and scrambled out of Thistle’s arms.

“Wait!” he said startled as she fell out of his arms, finding the energy to stumble across the room towards him, tripping and panting till she finally collapsed into the bed.

“Wait, who is this!?” growled King Oak startled then looked at Thistle shocked, seeing him with his color and then seeing Rose. “Rose!? What’s going on! Who is this?” he demanded as Poppy scrambled into the bed and made her way to Branch.

“Dad, this…is Poppy,” Thistle explained carefully.

“What!?” he suddenly yelled.

She ignored them and she collapsed partially on top of Branch, her hand grabbing his and she cried, relieved and agonized at the same time that she was finally able to see him again. To touch him. And he was dying! Her heart was breaking, squeezing so hard she couldn’t breathe.

“Branch, I’m here,” she mumbled and gulped big breaths of air trying to keep her emotions in control but they were daring to bubble out and explode. “Branch, please come back,” she sobbed and her other hand cupped his cold cheek, feeling the chill run into her skin. “Please, come back. I’m right here, it’s me…” she blubbered pressing her forehead to his, their noses pressing together.

She closed her eyes and felt his shallow breath against her face, ever so gentle and subtle. He was still here…just barely.

“Branch…” she gasped, tears finally spilling and raining, plopping gently against his cheeks with quiet plip-plops.

Silence fell over the room and the others stared quietly on, their spirits growing downcast as the seconds ticked by and nothing happened. As nothing changed and Branch still laid still and cold while Poppy squeezed his hand gently to her chest.

Poppy let out a long shallow breath…her voice coming out softly, in the music of a lullaby trying to reach his stilling heart and draw him back from the darkness with her voice.

 

_You with the sad eyes_

“That…that song,” King Oak whispered surprised, glancing at Thistle who looked just as choked and nodded. They fell silent and watched, Thistle took Rose’s hand and she accepted without a word.

 

_Don't be discouraged, oh I realize_

_It's hard to take courage_

_In a world full of people_

_You can lose sight of it all_

_The darkness inside you_

_Can make you feel so small_

 

Branch’s breath picked up, his chest rose as he let out a stronger breath. His hand twitched, squeezing back as a soft light and familiar voice stirred him, called him back from the cold dark embrace of eternal sleep as no other sound could. Poppy smiled, the tears sliding down her cheeks gleamed and her voice picked up as her skin started to softly glow pink, washing the grey and white out from the tips of her hair to the soles of her feet. The Snack Pack also was washed free of grey as they watched on with growing hope.

 

_Show me a smile then_

_Don't be unhappy_

_Can't remember when_

_I last saw you laughing_

_This world makes you crazy_

_And you've taken all you_

_Can bear_

_Just, call me up_

_'Cause I will always be there_

 

Her hand pressed to Branch’s cheek began to caress his skin, brushing her spilled tears away. Another breath and blue eyes fluttered open, taking in a sharp breath of air as he looked at Poppy, waking from his chilling sleep. A weak pale hand came up slowly to cup her cheek as she kept singing and his heartbeat and breath grew stronger with every note that was carried in her breath.

 

_And I see your true colors_

_Shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

 

“Poppy…” Branch whispered, a soft smile taking him as her glow rippled through him from where his hand touched her face, brilliant and soft did the shades of blue come to life in his skin as he glowed too. His smile growing with disbelief and delight as he fully awoke, feeling her presence as they felt their kindred souls sparking back to life once again and came together fully once more, soldering, binding more strongly together than any force in existence. Poppy kept singing, her voice choking with emotion as he finally spoke, as she felt their souls connect fully again.

 

_So don't be afraid to let them show_

_Your true colors_

_True colors are beautiful_

 

Branch started to sing with her, his voice resonating with hers in the silence. Both now awash with color and life, glowing with brilliance as their foreheads pressed together and they held each other close to sing their song together once again.

 

_I see your true colors_

_Shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

_So don't be afraid to let them show_

_Your true colors_

_True colors are beautiful_

_Like a rainbow_

_Oooooh oooooh oooh like a rainbow_

“Branch,” she gasped after the last lyrics, smiling widely with relief. Her heart stilling for a moment in time to appreciate his presence before her, feeling his heart beat strong again and with life.

“Poppy,” he said back, taking both his hands and cupping her face so he could look into her eyes. “You’re here. You’re with me,” he whispered awed, overjoyed and with love in his voice.

“And I’m never letting you go again,” she answered as he brushed the tears away from her eyes, thinking he had never seen a lovelier sight. Two deep pools indeed that he was glad to drown in and never come back up for air ever again. Living without her was akin to no air, he might as well drown in everything that was her while he could, while she was in his arms. He would never let her go again, ever.

Branch gasped, choked, trying to hold down a sob as tears broke free. He brought her close and their lips met and their eyes closed. A simple and soft kiss, tasting her once more and simply feeling her close, as their connection sparked with heartfelt emotion and solace to all the pain they had suffered apart, to comfort and brush away all loneliness and sadness. Her arms wrapping around his neck to hug him close and cuddle close to his regained warmth, all coldness gone as their glow did not die.

Their hearts beating together as one once more.


	25. Tides Change, Love Does Not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some pure, wholesome, Broppy goodness everyone! Also good news, have you noticed something new in the story's description box? Spoiler: "Part 1 of the The Trolls Saga series" Yes! That's right, all of you who want a sequel, you are getting it! I was going to leave it as a surprise till the very end but I caved with your heartfelt comments. I'll leave the details for a later date for you to discover. All of you who are sad the story is coming to a close, don't be! Because there is always more story to tell! You will be suffering my writing and existence a while longer. Enjoy, till next chapter! :)
> 
> Also, more fan art!  
> By the wonderful pumbaa259: https://pumbaa259.tumblr.com/post/159390810060/thistle-and-rose-how-i-imagined-them-they-are
> 
> Something crappy I drew and colored in 30 minutes with definitely the wrong saturation of colors. Pumbaa got the colors spot on for our favorite Throse pair, mine was a poor shot in the dark at a new technique: http://dragonnmr.tumblr.com/post/159383514415/thistle-and-rose

* * *

 

The kiss broke apart and Branch regretted that it had to end but he also knew they needed to breathe. They were both gasping softly, hearts racing.

Wait.

Why did someone need to breathe if they were dead?

Then again Troll Heaven seemed as much as a farfetched idea when he had been alive. Who didn’t want to believe there was a place where one could meet their loved ones one more time? But being a cynic he had long forsaken in believing in such a mythical place, he had had hoped but he hadn’t held his breath. Life wasn’t all cupcakes and rainbows, why should death be any different?

But, by all hair in the world was he going to question it now as he smiled softly and looked into Poppy’s eyes. He was just grateful he had been wrong.

However, he started to realize there was something a little odd about this heaven.

For one, Poppy looked dead tired. There were bags under her puffy eyes and her hair was a mess, everything about her was a mess honestly. Wasn’t heaven supposed to be rejuvenating, a place of eternal youth and all that nonsense? That had to be a letdown, coming to the afterlife feeling the way one died. In all honesty, he felt tired and weak himself and he had been sleeping. Everything ached.

Branch frowned perplexed. He finally looked past Poppy’s soft and loving gaze and realized… Heaven looked a lot like his room in the Mother Troll Tree. The sky was a ceiling with the canopy of drapes of his bed and as he released one hand from Poppy’s back he touched the sheets and looked even more confused but didn’t think of looking out towards the room on his left side.

“Branch, what’s wrong?” Poppy asked quietly, starting to worry.

He looked at her with a scowl. “Heaven doesn’t look what I thought it would look like. Then again, I have no idea how it should look like,” he muttered then smirked. “But so long as you’re here I can’t really complain.”

“Heaven?” Poppy echoed and her face scrunching up as she analyzed him but she ended up smiling at his last words. “I always imagined it a place full of clouds and sunshine, but so long as you’re there I wouldn’t complain either,” she grinned. “And especially if mom, and Rosiepuff, and everyone else was there too,” she added brightly.

“Yeah,” he snorted lightly, trying to hold in a laugh, only Poppy could be positive about being dead. It was just like her. Then he paused, his eyes becoming like saucers. “Wait. What? Wouldn’t? Was?” he asked plucking out all the past tenses from what she had just said.

Poppy opened her mouth but her voice didn’t come out.

“Oh, for the love of hair, you’re not dead you idiot! Where are your brains all of a sudden, brother? Ow! Rose!”

Branch felt his entire body tense as he heard Thistle’s voice. Stiffly, Branch turned his head to the left and saw Thistle rubbing his arm after Rose had punched him, looking scolding as she stared at the troll.

Branch saw his father, smiling widely with tears in his eyes. Aspar and Calamus was there too and so was Dr. Sage, looking frozen with shock. The entire Snack Pack was there, grinning with wide eyes and all huddled together.

“Wait…” Branch suddenly muttered, his head whipping back and forth from the audience to Poppy and back again. He tried to push himself up but groaned and collapsed back into the bed with a loud pant.

“Branch!” Poppy fretted and her hands on his chest as looked over him with strained anxiety. “Don’t move! You’re still not one hundred percent better, you need to rest,” she insisted.

“What’s going on!” Branch snapped, losing his patience to frustrated confusion. “I felt our bond snap, just die…” he said his voice cracking, cleaving pain at the memory through his chest. “He told me you died!” he suddenly exhaled sharply pointing at Thistle. “You, our friends—”

“Awww!” the Snack Pack cooed together, hearing for the first time that he called his friends too. Branch ignored them and kept ranting.

“And Rose, Carter, Moss, and Holly and others too! What’s going on!?” he demanded scathingly.

“Weeellll….” Poppy drawled out the word uncomfortably, trying to shrug from where she laid next to him.

“I lied.”

Branch felt his spine go rigid, the nerves pinching at every muscle down his body as he turned a tense stare at Thistle. Waiting. Branch’s blue eyes steely.

Thistle let out a suffered sigh, taking a step forward.

“I lied,” he repeated.

“Thank you. I got that if it wasn’t obvious by now,” Branch deadpanned past his glower.

Thistle ignored his comment and kept talking. “Poppy never got eaten by tusk-wolves. No one did. There were no tusk wolves to begin with. I ambushed her and the scouts and captured her and used a potion Calamus made to sever your bond with her so I could tell you she and everyone else was dead.”

Calamus grunted, he didn’t sound impressed or surprised as he leaned on his cane. In fact his face spoke volumes on his boredom.

“Thistle!” King Oak exclaimed, appalled as he stared at his son in shock.

“What?” Branch snarled low and slow. Branch’s fingers were already grinding against the sheets, balling up into fists. The only thing keeping him down was Poppy’s weight, her hands pressed to his chest and the weakness pervading his body. “You did this…all of this? Why?” he hissed trying to contain himself and his voice echoed that strain.

“To get you out of the way and hurt father,” Thistle said matter-of-fact.

There was a moment of silent shock.

“I’m going to _kill_ you!” Branch suddenly surged up only for Poppy to gasp and push him back down. He managed to sit up despite her efforts. “Poppy get off me! I swear by the Mother, I’m going to kill him for what he did to us!”

Poppy grimaced, a bit surprised by the swear Branch was using but she didn’t let up. He sounded more like the Glade Trolls, not that his volatile nature was anything new but it seemed like it was back to its old grey nature if not stronger and she didn’t know what to think of that.

Rose stepped forward and placed a protective arm in front of Thistle and glared back at him.

“You’re not telling him everything,” she growled pointedly.

Thistle scowled. “What does it matter? It’s no excuse for what I did.”

Rose huffed impatiently as the others watched on silently, still reeling.

“Thistle turned black,” she explained for him lowering her arm. “It’s not entirely his fault. It’s _your_ fault,” she snapped turning a stony gaze on the King. “With all due respect, your majesty,” she added carefully at the end as she realized her own outburst.

King Oak stared with blatant shock. He didn’t even seem too concerned with Rose’s disrespect as he turned to stare at Thistle.

Branch was tense, digesting the significance of the words. He had read more about the color nature and anatomy of trolls in a book in the library and had asked Rose more. The story she had shared…had not been a pleasant one as he recalled.

“You…you turned black?” their father asked.

Thistle’s ears drooped and he frowned as his head and body slouched, exuding his sense of shame more openly than he usually cared to show.

“I did,” he said quietly. “Right after what happened in the throne room,” he said vaguely and a crestfallen expression took the king’s face. Thistle sighed and looked straight at Branch. “Branch, look, I know sorry is not enough—”

“Enough! Oh, it’s enough alright. Enough for me to still—”

“Shut up for minute for hair’s sake and let me talk!” Thistle snapped back and Branch loured, crossing his arms but fell silent. If it weren’t for Poppy in the way, Branch would already be strangling his brother with his hair. “Look, I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t blame you. I probably wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I was in your place, especially not now…” he trailed off stepping up next to Rose and looking at her significantly. His hand came up and took hers and she stiffened like a log, only her eyes looking around.

King Oak looked on astonished and more confused than ever and even Branch relaxed a little with his own shock to see the open display of intimacy. Okay, he knew he had missed a lot at this point because he was lost.

“But,” Thistle continued, turning his gaze back to his brother. “I want to make things right. I want to make it up to you, Branch. I don’t know how or if I even can. Or if you will even let me…” he breathed sounding down with his own words. “But if you will give me a second chance… I want us to try again. You’re my brother and I realized in this whole mess…” he glared, a hard frown. “I don’t want to lose you too. I just got you back. All these years I was looking for something I had lost, I was looking for mom and grandma so I could ask them why they left me…if they didn’t love me… I was looking for something I had right beside me the whole time and I wasn’t appreciating it,” he smiled slightly looking at Rose who finally relaxed but was blushing furiously and looked away with a gulp. “But they left me with you, Branch,” he said looking back with a frown. “And I realized too late that I didn’t appreciate that either like I should have, that I shouldn’t have let it anger me. That it wasn’t your fault…none of this was. I had my brother again even if I didn’t know I even wanted one anymore and… Look, I’m sorry. I’m not really good at this…expressing stuff. I’m sorry. That’s all I can really say.”

Branch was stiff and he looked away a moment later and at the sheets in front of him, beetle-browed and he felt his own anger stifle. Just a bit. Not entirely. Okay, maybe it wavered a lot and he felt like a soft idiot because of it but he was also feeling adamant.

“I…I don’t know,” he finally muttered.

“Look if not for me, then for you, Poppy and Rose,” Thistle cut in. “I can live with you hating me the rest of our lives, but please save their lives and yours.”

Shock finally melted Branch’s cold exterior as his eyes widened and he looked at Thistle. “What? What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Balfour, Branch. You can pull it out,” he said with such unwavering confidence that Branch _wanted_ to believe him.

Branch grimaced however, his uncertainty returning with a vengeance and it was obvious on his face, in just the slump of his posture. Even in his silence.

Thistle sighed and turned to Rose who somehow managed to stiffen up again and even more than before, looking like a frightened tree etched with a face on it as Thistle brushed her bangs aside and revealed the faded mark. He looked back at Branch, frowning deeply.

“Look at Poppy’s forehead.”

Branch turned wide horrified eyes on Poppy who stiffened up and her hand shot up and smacked her own forehead. She didn’t even wince but he could see she wanted to, probably hitting her own head a little too hard.

“Poppy! Let me see!” Branch growled, his hand grabbing her arm and gently trying to tug it out of the way.

“No!” she huffed.

“Poppy…” he groaned. They glared at each other for a while and it seemed like she wouldn’t crack until his hands cupped her cheeks. His blue eyes softened as he leaned in. “Please?”

She groaned as he used that unfair and gentle voice on her with that pleading, almost desperate look on his face. Her hand fell without resistance and he smiled, kissing her nose before his fingers moved aside her pink bangs.

He already knew what to expect but seeing it…the pitch black mark brazen with blatantly marking her lovely pink skin…he felt his heart squeeze and plummet in his chest. The horror of the truth washed in with the visual confirmation and he didn’t know how he could hold his emotions in at this point but he tried. He tried to swallow them down, shove them in a drawer and tell them to be silent a little while longer.

“How…how is this happening?” he finally whispered looking down, grabbing Poppy’s hands to stop his shaking before it even started. “How did Rose even get marked? I thought Azalea was the third one.”

Rose turned to look at Thistle, surprised by this information.

“She got in the way trying to protect me from the shadow that flew into our cell,” Poppy explained quietly before turning a grateful stare at Rose. “She was trying to protect me, she’s a really great friend…” and her smile suddenly became a guilty frown.

“Cell?” Branch asked quietly, crossly. It made sense but each new detail of what Poppy had endured didn’t fail to upset him.

Poppy looked on, frowning. She knew this was hard for him, all of it was. As much as he was trying to hide it she could feel it in her heart, through their shared connection. He was afraid, he was angry, and he was doubting himself.

“Branch…” she whispered so quietly no one heard her but him.

“How did this happen?” he demanded, his voice getting stronger as he turned to look at his father and the others. “The Umbragon has never picked adult trolls before.”

“I have a theory…” Calamus interjected quietly. “You were already picked once, Prince Branch. You were marked long ago even if the mark was removed, but you still obviously have whatever qualities the beast wants from its victims. And because Queen Poppy is your soul mate, she too must have these qualities since your souls were predestined, connected, meant for each other since the very beginning. Just like Azalea’s soul was connected with her twin sister’s soul, so she too must have the same qualities the beast wants that made it pick her sister twenty-five years ago. And these qualities are obviously rare…”

“What about Rose?” Thistle postulated looking at the old alchemist. “She was never picked as a kid, so why now? And if that is the case, why didn’t it pick me too? We are soul mates after all.”

King Oak gasped and took an unsteady step back, looking like he might keel over when Dr. Sage steadied him.

The old alchemist coughed with derision and waved Thistle off with a hand. “That was an accident. No idiot has ever tried getting in the way of a shadow marking before in a thousand years. You think the monster is going to complain if someone willingly wants it to eat them?”

Rose’s expression fell flat with annoyance but not as much as Thistle’s did, he looked livid.

“Watch it, Calamus! That’s your future Queen you’re insulting!”

“Wait, what?! Who, me!?” Rose barked now looking she might faint as she teetered. The Snack Pack rushed over and soon she had arms holding her up.

Thistle turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow, confused by her outburst.

“Ha, you’re an idiot too, your highness. No offense. Frankly, everyone I know is an idiot. What she did was noble but still idiotic. Don’t take it so seriously,” he muttered uncaringly with a shrug. “Heck, my own children are idiots and I raised them. Not a bit of sense between the two.”

“Calamus! Enough!” King Oak finally yelled, stomping his foot as he stood firm again and took a step away from the doctor.

Calamus huffed and rolled his eyes, falling silent.

Branch finally sighed, fed up with the company. He didn’t need this much stress, he already had the weight of the world on his shoulders, literally. All the trolls, everyone here…was depending on him to pull out Balfour, and the idea that he might fail them…fail Poppy…terrified him.

“Would all of you mind leaving?” he asked quietly, distracting them for a moment. “I’d like to be alone with Poppy.”

Poppy frowned and looked into his eyes. As she saw the turmoil starting to make it to his face she understood and touched his cheek.

“Son…” King Oak suddenly stepped forward.

“Please…” Branch begged looking over and into his father’s eyes as he got closer. “I _need_ to be alone with Poppy,” the urgency echoing in the words, the hushed desperation of oncoming panic that even swirled in his eyes.

King Oak sighed, stopping by the bed and he nodded in understanding.

“Alright. But son, before we go. I just want to say…that I take the blame for everything that Thistle did. If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me.”

Branch blinked surprised as he stared into his father’s guilt-ridden gaze.

“None of this would have happened if I hadn’t hurt your brother in the first place. So…if it is not too much of your father to ask…try to forgive him,” he pleaded quietly, sounding old and tired. “You have no idea what turning black does to a troll, it twists them into something unrecognizable. That isn’t even a troll anymore. There is no one to blame but me that it happened to him in the first place.”

“Dad…” Thistle protested quietly in the background, he sounded choked up.

Branch grimaced. “I know dad,” he admitted touching his father’s grey hand. “Rose told me before, about black trolls and what happened to a friend of hers...” He stopped, letting out a long breath, trying to calm down so he could think clearly. It did little good. “I’ll try…but I’ll need some time. Poppy is my entire world, I can’t let this go so easily. You saw what happened to me when I only felt our bond break. You saw how easily I broke and turned grey…”

Thistle groaned with guilt, his hand pressing to his face as he tried to work through the shame. Rose silently took his other hand as she moved away from the Snack Pack.

Poppy gasped, wrapping her arms around Branch’s torso and cuddling close, just trying to give him the comfort of her touch. She was here now. He shouldn’t have to think about it anymore. She wished more than ever she could take all the bad moments away.

Branch smiled briefly, wrapping an arm gently around her. “I…need time,” he said simply looking down at her. “That’s why I need to be just with her right now.”

“Alright,” King Oak agreed with a nod and turned to smile at Poppy.

She perked up for the first time took a good look at Branch’s father. His black beard streaked with grey, his grey skin, his regal demeanor, his large nose…he did look a lot like an older Branch but worn down by years of obvious despair and loneliness.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, my dear,” he greeted warmly that even the wrinkles by his eyes creased with his smile as he took one of her hands. “Thank you…” he suddenly said with a wavering voice, emotional. “For saving my boy, now and before.”

Poppy smiled softly and nodded once, squeezing the king’s hand. “I’d do anything for Branch, King Oak. Thank you for being there for him too.”

He smiled widely and Branch, despite his mood, found himself smiling too as he saw the love of his life and his father get along so well and finally meet. He didn’t realize he had cared about their meeting till this point. He realized just how important this moment was, a moment he never dreamed he'd ever had. The sense of gratitude he felt at that moment couldn’t be measured.

“Just Oak, my dear. We’re practically family already, no need to be so formal,” he smiled and leaned down. Poppy stiffened surprised as the back of her hand was suddenly kissed. Branch chuckled as he saw her shocked expression. It was priceless and adorable as her cheeks brightened with blush. “I look forward to talking with you, later. Don’t worry. We have some time before the new moon, before the Umbragon gets close. For now rest up and I’ll send some food over. I’ll get all your friends some nice rooms too and some food in their bellies.”

As if in response, Poppy’s stomach gurgled and she groaned taking her hand back placing it over her stomach. The king chuckled at the sound.

“Yes, please! We haven’t eaten or drank anything in two days.”

“What!?” Branch questioned suddenly frantic as he looked her over, his hands grabbing her to inspect her arms, her face... Dehydration! Malnourishment! Starvation! Shock! His mind was going a mile a minute and Poppy knew it at she gave him a soft glare.

“Branch, calm down,” she muttered. “You haven’t eaten in two days too.”

“Th-that’s not the point!” he argued back but she rolled her eyes at him.

King Oak chuckled a little at their antics before falling silent. He stood up and shot a disappointed glower at Thistle who looked away guiltily, gritting his teeth before looking back annoyed.

“You haven’t eaten in two days either!” he pointed out. “So don’t even think about it.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything, Thistle,” King Oak huffed as he walked towards the door ushering everyone out with a wave of his hands. “Besides you already punished yourself. That means Rose hasn’t eaten or drank anything in two days either.”

Thistle suddenly looked panicked as he turned to her as he realized this.

“Don’t even think about carrying me or something,” Rose muttered. “I’m fine. We’ve gone longer than that without eating.”

“Because we didn’t have a choice!” he argued. “And that doesn’t make it any better.”

“Just calm down, Thistle,” she retorted as they herded a reluctant Snack Pack out. “I’ll get something right now in the guard’s quarters.”

“No, you’re going straight to the royal kitchen with me,” he said stubbornly, heatedly. “As soon as we take care of your cuts,” he growled daring her to argue.

Rose just gave him a look that said she could defy him and he would have to just suck it up but otherwise said nothing.

“Ha! You are going to have a hard time with this one. Sounds like karma got you back, son,” King Oak teased as he grinned at Rose while Thistle glared at his father. “Welcome to the family too, Rose. I knew I liked you for a reason,” he chortled sounding livelier than he had in years as he wrapped his arms around Thistle and Rose with open familiarity, making Rose tense up a bit. “So many lucky men in this family keep getting soul mates, must run in the family! You better treat her right after this, Thistle, or I’m going to have some words for you. A beautiful, strong woman like her deserves the best out of you, not fighting! Not that I don’t think you can put him in his place, my dear, I know you can,” he chuckled giving her a wink and she giggled for a brief moment, relaxing. “But might as well make it twice as hard for him so he doesn’t screw up again, right?”

“Dad! Please stop!” Thistle groaned in despaired frustration, throwing his hands in the air.

Rose blushed and grinned but nothing more was heard as the door shut behind them and the Snack Pack’s concerned glances from the hallway.

Branch sighed in relief. They were finally alone.

With no one there his strength gave out and he collapsed backwards back into the pillows, dragging Poppy along with him as one of her arms was still around him.

With a quiet and tired huff he looked at her and brushed a finger over her cheek.

“How are you?”

She laughed at this. Of all the things plaguing his mind that was the first thing he asked. It was just like her caring and thoughtful Branch.

“Tired,” she finally admitted as she nestled her head against his chest and looked up at him. “But very happy that you’re okay,” she simpered.

He smiled softly back. “I feel the same,” he acknowledged and kept an arm firmly around her. “Want to get under the covers?”

She gave him a sleepy nod and moved out of the way for a moment before squirming under the sheets with him as he moved them. As she settled down he fingered her damaged headband and disheveled hair, wild pink strands pulling out of places and he started to comb his fingers through it.

“Mmm…that…feels nice,” she yawned cuddling a little closer, as if it were possible.

He smiled, just enjoying her warmth as he brushed through her hair with his fingers. He faintly realized how long he had missed her and that it had felt like an eternity. How special it was that she was letting him comb her hair. A troll didn’t just let anyone comb their hair, it was a special and intimate act that demonstrated complete trust and love between them, and he was glad he could do it for her.

“I missed you,” he finally whispered a few minutes later.

“I missed you too, Branch.”

Her unruly hair looking a little neater and he tugged the rubber band to straighten it and it snapped, ricocheting against this finger painfully for a second as her flamingo pink hair tumbling out. “Um…oops,” he muttered holding up the torn cyan band.

Poppy giggled. “It’s fine.” She looked up, her pink eyes a bit hazy. “Want to talk?”

“Not really,” he murmured. “I just want be with you.”

She smirked at him but no smart comment came. “Well, I want to talk. Have you been having dreams like me? About our days?”

Alright, he would bite the bait. It’s not like he could resist anyways.

“Yeah,” he said looking a little confused. “Did you really fight some of those one-eye birds? And…tame them?” he asked and it sounded even more implausible as he said it aloud.

Poppy grinned widely. “I did! I’ve been practicing the moves Rose has been teaching you. Robin says I’m pretty good.”

“Wait…did you just say you’ve been practicing?” he asked with wide eyes and disbelief. “You? With a weapon?” he gaped.

“Mhmm,” she nodded with a proud smirk. “I took the spear you found with me on the trip. I don’t know how but it’s like I remember, well, no. Like I know what you learned and I started teaching the Snack Pack and practicing.”

He couldn’t believe it as he heard it, as he stared. His Poppy was a warrior now? Just a few weeks ago the entire idea would have been utterly farfetched. A few weeks ago the idea of being soul mates would have been insane. By the hair, everything was insane compared to a few weeks ago! In such a short period of time his life had turned upside down and in all of it…one thing was clear.

He couldn’t live without Poppy. There was simply no imagining an existence without her.

“I just…didn’t want to be defenseless like that again and not able to protect you,” she confessed dejected. “To fail you.”

“Poppy,” he groaned, cupping her face. “You could never fail me.”

She sighed and looked down and he knew he hadn’t convinced her in the least.

“You won’t guess what else!” she suddenly changed the subject and Branch knew there was no point trying to argue with her at that point.

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been reading your survival guide every day! I made a campfire several times, set up a perimeter, I figured out the constellations that point north, I even know what berries are edible now…well, most of them,” she shrugged sheepishly but she was still beaming. “And a lot more, it’s a really great book, Branch.”

Branch stared and before he knew it a proud and delight smile was stretching across his blushing face.

Now his Poppy was a survivalist too? He didn’t know if he should be excited or worried but obviously the skills had been useful to her and kept her safe. He couldn’t be more grateful. Although, it was a bit embarrassing she had found the survival guide he had been working on to publish and leave in the troll library, not that he thought anyone would read it. But maybe someone would have at one point and found it useful? All he knew was that he loved the fact that Poppy had read it.

“Really?” he asked a little breathless and she nodded. “I’m…I don’t know what to say,” he chuckled nervously.

She grinned, her hand over his chest and absently playing with the trim of his shirt.

Then Poppy was suddenly serious as she looked up at him. “Did…did you feel any pain from me?” she suddenly asked quietly.

That killed the good mood in an instant and he frowned.

“Like when Thistle cut your face?” he grumbled.

She frowned. Alright, that definitely had been a bad topic to bring up because Branch looked like he was starting to quietly fume again.

“Yeah…” she sighed casting her eyes downward. “I was just wondering because…of what happened to your leg. It really scared me, it hurt so much I passed out and I even had a giant bruise on my ankle after that and it was hard to walk till it went away.”

“What?” Branch asked looking horrified. “You…actually got hurt?”

She nodded silently but as she saw the expression emerging on his face she quickly added, “It wasn’t that bad, it was just a bruise.”

Guilt washed through him anyways. If he had known…that wouldn’t have meant he could have avoided it but of course he was going to feel guilty she had suffered the pain with him!

“Have you really been feeling everything that strongly?” he whispered worried.

“Not everything, that was the first time it actually hurt me, like it was on my skin and not just a feeling of getting hurt,” she amended. “Though I do feel everything hard that hits or cuts you when you are sparring with Rose. I’ve been waking up sore every morning and going to bed like that,” she groaned.

“I’m sorry…” he muttered unsure of what more to say.

She shook her head. “Don’t be, I’m glad I’ve been learning with you even if we weren’t together to do it.”

He smiled a little at that but he still felt bad.

They fell silent for a few minutes, Branch staring at the ceiling and Poppy looking at him before her eyes drifted away and wandered around the room. She really liked it. The entire place certainly seemed to suit a royal family, maybe it could use more color. Her eyes fell on the mountain of gifts by his desk and she wasn’t sure what that meant.

“Branch?” she finally whispered, tired of the silence.

He looked down at her quizzically, looking a little dazed like she had disturbed his thoughts.

Ding!

The synchronized hum of the Hug Time bracelets rang out together and Poppy looked down at her arm, smiling, suddenly remembering them.

He chuckled and suddenly his arms were squeezing around her and she squeezed back.

“I got your bracelet fixed,” she announced as she let him go and tugged the blue bracelet off.

He snorted amused and offered his arm without complaint. She pushed his sleeve back and the bracelet slipped on, snug and secure past his big warm hands.

“Perfect fit!” she declared with a large toothy grin.

He picked up his arm and inspected the blue band for a moment but he didn’t stare at it long as her returned his gaze on his mate.

“Thank you.”

“I had to get it back to you,” she said with a distant tone that made him look at her. “I said I would get to you, and I did,” she smiled a little proud.

He frowned at her however, so many things coming to mind. Like how he wished she had stayed put. Yet glad she hadn’t because it wouldn’t have made a difference. How he wished Thistle hadn’t hurt her. How he wished she hadn’t felt lonely or scared. Or that she had to suffer in the first place.

Instead he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up, his face nuzzling deep into her hair to smell just the faintest touch of her strawberry fragrance under the scent of all her traveling weariness.

Poppy blinked disoriented and confused for a moment before she simply wrapped her arms around his torso and snuggled her nose into the fabric of his soft shirt and closed her eyes.

A quiet knock came from the door and Branch sighed. Poppy opened her eyes sleepily.

“Come in,” he called as loudly as he could manage.

The door opened and Branch reluctantly pulled his face out of Poppy’s hair to look at who it was.

“Sorry to bother you, Prince Branch,” said a sweet smiling girl troll with a large tray of food in her hands. There was a younger serving boy behind her with another tray and Branch recognized the two siblings, aspiring chefs working under their father who ran the royal kitchen. “We brought you your food and for Queen Poppy.”

Branch nodded. “Please set it down by the bed. We’re too tired to move.”

“Of course!” she agreed happily, strutting in and placing the tray on the nightstand. She cleared the nightstand and pulled it closer to the side of the bed.

The young serving boy looked around and set out to do the same. He pulled up another piece of furniture with his sister’s help and set down the second tray.

“Thank you,” Branch said gratefully to the two as Poppy hungrily eyed the food.

“If there is anything else, Prince Branch, just call. Do you want us to pick up the dishes in an hour?” she asked pleasantly.

He tried to smile in a friendly fashion, only just faintly. “No, that will be alright. Thank you. We’ll take care of the dishes later. We rather not be disturbed till tomorrow.”

The two young trolls bowed to them and left with a hurry, closing the door behind them.

“Prince Branch…”

Branch turned confused as Poppy murmured his name so softly and with a mischievous smile on her face.

He let out a dry laugh. “Pretty weird, isn’t it?”

“No,” she said immediately looking up at him with a gleam in her eye. “I like it. It suits you, Branch. Just like King will suit you too,” she grinned.

Branch stared caught off guard, feeling the blood rush to his face as his cheeks turned a dark purple. He stared at her silently for a long while and she held his gaze.

“Poppy, marry me.”

Poppy balked, her eyes going wide. “What?” she was the one to ask this time, shocked.

“Marry me,” he insisted more softly, his hand coming up to stroke her face and gently brush her pink bangs aside. “Poppy, will you be my wife? My mate? My soul mate? My best friend? Now and forever?”

She stared, stills dumbstruck, even awestruck as such fierce joy suddenly overwhelmed her and made her heart tremble deep in her chest. Her breath hitched and she didn’t remember how to get words past her mouth in that moment.

His smile got wider, softer as he leaned in and their noses touched.

“You’re speechless, for once?” he teased. “What a shock. Looks like I need to learn how to do this more often.”

She suddenly grinned, blinking her eyes and shoving him playfully with a laugh and he chuckled with heart. For now, Poppy ignored the wafting aroma of the food making her stomach clench. She couldn’t even think of anything else at the moment but the troll before her.

“Why are you suddenly asking me this? Aren’t _you_ the one that wanted to take things slow?” she japed back.

He chuckled and his fingers trailed over her cheek and wrapped gently under her jaw. His blue eyes, unblinking, stared deep into the pink radiance of her eyes.

“I did,” he admitted his voice getting serious, but never faltering in its gentleness. “But I don’t want to anymore. We’re soul mates, just like you said. What is stronger and more binding than that in the whole world? The last two weeks has proved that more than anything. In comparison, marriage vows are nothing. I can’t live without you Poppy, not now, not ever. So why wait? I want to be tied to you every way possible, Poppy. I want to be able to say I am yours and you are mine and that nothing will ever tear us apart. Not in this world or the next,” he whispered. _Before something happens to us, in case anything does and I do not have the chance to ask you again…_ The last unspoken thoughts whispering quietly in the back of his mind, trying to unnerve him as he knew the dark fate looming before them as he looked at the mark on her soft pink skin. The unknown was still undecided.

His breath was constantly brushing at her lips as he spoke, and Poppy felt dizzy with the taste of it so close. He spoke again and she was still a little dazed but not missing a single word.

“But if you don’t feel the same way yet, I understand and I can wait…” he said, just the slightest of pain surfacing in his voice.

Poppy’s hand grabbed tight to his shirt and she let out a soft gasp before she titled her head and kissed him deeply.

He grunted, surprised but did not complain as he held her face and kissed her back almost urgently, desperately. Passion building swiftly to burn new desire into them that demanded they reaffirm their bond in every way possible.

But she didn’t let it escalate as much as she wanted to, as much as a new desire warred in her body to get lost in everything, in every single touch that was Branch.

The kiss broke and she stared into his eyes again as she let out a light gasp to steady her racing heart. Her hand coming to cup his face as he softly panted too, exhilarated and a little nervous as he looked into her eyes.

“Branch, I feel exactly the same way,” she smiled breathless, softly, at his silliness that he could even believe for one moment that she did not feel the same way. Could he not tell by the longing and love in her heart? The overwhelming happiness in their bond? But she also knew anxiety and doubt were his constant companions and she was determined that for the rest of her life she would heal that part of him too, no matter how long it took.

“I love you,” she continued. “And I cannot ever imagine a single day without you. Not now, not ever. Not in this life or the next.”

His uncertainly slowly melted away, his expression brightening as he smiled timidly as if he was suddenly realizing the absurdity of his own doubts. He couldn’t doubt her, he knew that now.

“I know I don’t have my grandma’s ring with me right now to give you, but… Does that mean, yes?” he whispered, gazing up at her with shining clear eyes, alight with happiness.

She let out a short hoarse giggle, tears suddenly budding like glistening dew drops at the edges of her eyes as she bit her lip for a moment. “Yes!” she exclaimed. “Of course it means yes, Branch!”

He grinned widely and this time he pulled her in and kissed her, their food forgotten for their brief moment of happiness.


	26. Getting Even

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My gah, what's with you all and angst? Did I make you all that bad? Haha. Well, no angst here (well maybe a little)! But not a lot, not yet at least! Take a breather guys, no need to fret for another chapter or two! Maybe. Gotta cushion impending doom and angst with some romance/fluff first. ;D
> 
> TiPoLover_22 I hope you laugh at the end of this chapter. Just saying~!
> 
> More Art! (There would be more but a certain somebody hasn't posted it yet so, bleh, you know who you are!)  
> By the wonderful pumbaa: https://pumbaa259.tumblr.com/post/159570690860/thistle-and-rose-in-chapter-25-of-the-amazing

* * *

 

Warmth hugged his side and it was almost an offense to wake up as his mind started to stir.

Branch’s eyes sleepily opened up and he yawned. A hand grabbed him a little tighter and a voice murmured incoherently by his ear. His arm which had gone slack, instantly wrapped around her torso, feeling the dirty fabric rough with use. He took a deep breath of her pink hair wafting by his nose which he had fallen asleep in as part of his pillow. Poppy’s head rested on his shoulder, the slightest to pressure against his body and she looked peaceful.

Branch smiled and gently moved aside some bangs so he could see her face, only to frown as his finger caressed the permanent cold spot on her head. Ever since they had been marked it was like a cold pit was sleeping in their stomachs, trying to drain away their good feelings. He knew she felt it too but she didn’t show it.

After their kiss last night they had eaten their food, emptying all the plates and falling asleep afterwards instantly. Too tired to keep talking.

He glanced to his left and noticed the clock high on the wood wall, the ticking of the hands thrummed in the silence. It was early, a little past six in the morning to be precise and it was usually the hour he would be out training. He guessed despite everything, his body was still used to the schedule. But right now he didn’t care, he was happy just to wake up with Poppy in his arms again. He never figured just having her in the same bed to accompany him in the night a few times could have such a quick and permanent effect on how he woke up in the morning.

In fact, it seemed to have an even greater effect than just on his mind.

His body didn’t feel so weak anymore. As a matter of fact, he felt lively with the rest and Poppy’s presence alone. Carefully he unwound his arm from around her and she mumbled trying to hold on to his shirt.

Smiling fondly, he gently pried her fingers free and slipped to the edge of the bed. With his feet dangling he took a deep breath before pushing off. At first he swayed unsteadily but quickly found his balance much to his relief. He decided a shower was in order and a change of clothes, so he went and did just that with one last look at the sleeping pink troll in his bed.

Without Branch’s warmth in the bed Poppy was soon roused from her sleep. Sleepily she blinked her eyes and looked around, hearing only the faint sound of rushing water. With a sound of complaint she rolled over and tried to yank the sheets over her.

Sadly, sleep would not be returning as it was an elusive and fickle creature.

Reluctantly, Poppy pulled herself out of bed and as she sleepily looked over the room with half-laden eyes…curiosity suddenly sparked her. She stood up, shoved her fingers through her hair and decided to look around.

The first thing that caught her eye was the armor stand and beautiful pieces sitting there, waiting, already with some scratches and dents. She could see her face in the reflection and realized she looked like a mess, her bandana was a strewn broken thing, and she had grime on her cheeks…

A quiet knocking suddenly had her straightening up and snapped her attention.

She curiously looked back at the door and wondered if it was okay that she answered it? Branch was busy…so she decided in a millisecond that the answer was yes.

Poppy rushed to the door and was surprised by how energetic she already was today and she turned the knob and found a familiar face on the other side.

“Rose!” she exclaimed and suddenly threw her arms around the red troll who grunted surprised.

“Morning, Poppy,” she greeted back and Poppy realized things were scrunched up against her chest. She let go of Rose and looked down at her arms.

“Oh!” Poppy breathed as she saw her cowbell, Branch’s journal and book…everything that had been taken out of her hair. And a newly folded dress and a crown made of metal with real vines and flowers she had never seen before along with her own felt leaf crown, clean and fixed. “Thank you, Rose!” she beamed taking the things from her.

“How are you feeling?” Rose smiled and then looked down the hallway and spoke before Poppy could even reply. “Can I hide in here for a minute?” she whispered urgently.

Poppy gave her a confused little expression but nodded as Rose quickly shot in and slammed the door behind her and pressed her back against it, looking relieved. Poppy realized Rose was in her armor again and her wounds bandaged up. There was a band aid on her face and bandages around her hands.

“What’s wrong, Rose?” Poppy asked concerned as she walked over to the nest to put her things down. She noticed a journal and gift wrapped in paper, then a mountain of gifts on the floor, strewn and uncared for and…boxes of open chocolates?

“It’s Thistle!” Rose gasped exasperated walking into the room. “He’s acting so strange! He won’t leave me alone! Last night…he asked me to sleep with him in his room!” she berated the air before her with her annoyance through gritted teeth, her arms up and her hands like frustrated claws in the air. “I couldn’t believe it! I hit him so hard he fell over and I managed to get away!”

Poppy turned an innocent and confused expression on her.

“You don’t have sleepovers?” Poppy asked confused.

Rose stared at Poppy with utter disbelief then groaned, rubbing her eyes and pinching her nose. Why wasn’t she surprised?

“No…we don’t do that sort of thing here. Only kids do that,” she explained past her muffling grimace.

“Oh…” Poppy frowned and looked at Rose suddenly smiling curiously. “You don’t want to sleep with him? Maybe he’s a great cuddler like Branch!” she beamed. “Just watch out, he might snore and drool, too,” she giggled.

Rose picked up her head and stared for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “Poppy…you seriously can’t be that innocent. Aren’t you…worried? Like, at all?”

“About what?” Poppy asked confused.

“You know…” Rose grimaced, shrugging and making a face moving her hands in strange loops like she was juggling something. “ _Other_ things happening…? You know…cuddling getting out of hand and…?” she ended vaguely with a deep frown and blush on her face.

Poppy started vacantly for a few seconds before her face started to turn bright red, her eyes going wide. “Ooooh…um…I…really hadn’t thought about it. Till now?” she gulped and suddenly her mind was racing as she remembered how last night the kissing…how it had gotten a little more than passionate. The desire… Oh, by the hair!

She honestly had never thought about _that_ till now, she didn’t even want to remember that awful and awkward talk she had with her dad when she had hit puberty.

Her face was beet red in seconds, if she was in front of a mirror she would have wondered if steam might come out of her hair.

Rose started to laugh hard, bowing over and shaking her head.

“Sorry,” she snickered trying to stop the laughter with her hand. “I didn’t mean to worry you, Poppy.”

Poppy gulped and tried to compose herself, mischief suddenly searing through her and she smirked.

“I mean, if it’s with Branch…I’d be ready,” she said honestly, smiling. Taking a step forward she had a cool and leveled grin on her face as she leaned in and stared at Rose with a devilish gleam. “Are you telling me you wouldn’t be ready if Thistle asked you? Scared?” she cooed, trying to hold in a giggle as she teased back.

Rose straightened up and her face somehow got redder, shades of dark purple on her cheeks. She stared shocked for a moment before a devious smirk took her face as she stared at the pink Queen with a new admiration.

“Scared? As if!” she scoffed with a nervous laugh but her next words were strong. “Oh, I’d be ready. I’d knock him out senseless,” she laughed sure of it then it faltered and grew quieter. “But I’m not ready for that just yet! No, this is all happening too fast. I’ve never even been in a relationship before now. I didn’t have the time or patience, and there was no one but him…” she trailed off making a strange face. “I’m just used to him being distant and detached…and now he won’t stop trying to hold my hand or kiss me…” she suddenly sighed, complaining as she put her hands on her hips and looked away with a scowl. “It’s…just so weird! I still can’t wrap my hair around it. I guess…I am scared,” she admitted dismayed, feeling a blow hit her pride.

Poppy straightened up and compassion returning to her face. “I know what you mean. Branch was worried about the same thing. We just…ended up doing things without really thinking, you know? Hugging, cuddling, spending time together…” she sighed, smiling softly and then looked up encouragingly. “I guess it can be a little scary, just tell him that. I’m sure he won’t mind slowing down for you, Rose. He obviously loves you a lot.”

Rose groaned quietly and nodded, frowning troubled and worried. “I guess you’re right… I still can’t believe it though, ha! Thistle…in love with me…” she said falling silent, looking thoughtful.

“Is that why you’re avoiding him right now?” Poppy pressed.

Rose shrugged and looked at her friend with a single nod. “Part of it. He invited me to eat breakfast with you guys and his family and he brought all these dresses to my room in the guard’s quarter a little while ago… I said I had to go to the bathroom and ditched him,” she grumbled ashamed, shaking her head at herself.

Poppy giggled, she couldn’t help it! Thistle and Rose were too cute together in her opinion.

“You don’t want to wear a dress?”

Rose made a face that said it all. “No, not really,” she muttered stiffly. “I’m not really a dress kind of troll…put me in armor and I’m a duck in water. But a dress…?” she gritted her teeth and shook her head with a shudder. “It’s so impractical and I’ll probably look like an idiot to boot! No offense,” she quickly cut off. “They don’t look ugly or anything on you or others, it’s…just not me?”

“You won’t look like an idiot!” Poppy quickly argued grabbing Rose’s hands and grinning. “Let me show you! Let’s do your makeover right now for breakfast!”

Rose grimaced and made a hissing noise through her teeth. “Yeah…I don’t know…”

“Oh, come on! It will be fun!” she insisted, eyes sparkling. Then her smile because teasing and devious as she came up to Rose’s side and elbowed her. “Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t want Thistle’s jaw to drop when he sees you…” she tempted.

Rose frowned thoughtfully for a moment and she seemed conflicted, even chewing on her lip.

Poppy grinned more widely, sure the trap would snap. Finally, Rose spoke.

“Ugh…fine, I’d be lying anyways if I said I didn’t want that,” she admitted with blush even on her nose.

“Great!” Poppy suddenly exclaimed her arms thrown into the air.

“What’s great?”

Poppy and Rose stiffened, looking over at the now open bathroom door and Branch staring at them perplexed as he straighten up a nice beige cream shirt with green trim with embroidered leaves.

“Branch!” Poppy beamed. “That looks nice on you, but it’s still a little dull don’t you think?”

He smirked and rolled his eyes at her. He walked towards a dresser and picked up a circlet placed it on his brow without thinking. Poppy stared with awe and gleam in her eye as she stared at the regal attire.

“Are you going to tell me what’s great?” he asked.

“We’re giving Rose a makeover!”

“We’re?” he echoed with a grimace.

“Me and the Snack Pack,” Poppy amended as she skipped over to him and kissed his cheek in a good morning greeting. “You’re going to go keep Thistle distracted till breakfast.”

“What!?”

Poppy sighed. “Branch, what’s with you and yelling ‘what’ every time?”

“Because it perfectly expresses my surprise,” he retorted and leaned in and kissed her forehead before pulling back with a serious frown. “And no, I’m not going to keep Thistle distracted for you.”

Poppy’s mouth fell open in disbelief as he refuted to assist her plan.

“But, Branch!”

“Poppy,” he sighed, tired and unhappy he had to explain the obvious. “I’m still upset with him right now. My feelings aren’t going to go away from one day to the next,” he frowned at her, quietly begging her to understand and not push him.

Poppy pouted and realized he was right, she hadn’t considered his feelings towards his brother at the moment. But didn’t that also make it the perfect time to make up? She wanted them to get along again…

“Why don’t you ask him to be your sparring partner this morning?” Rose suddenly suggested.

Branch stiffened and eyed her skeptically.

“I mean you’re still a little weak, I wouldn’t normally suggest it but you two need work your feelings out. Right now he’s feeling guilty and ashamed and he wants to make it up to you,” Rose said carefully and slowly, a disconcerting smile crept across her face. “He won’t say no and you can get your anger out. You’re good enough to fight him if you don’t hold back, Branch.”

Branch frowned with displeasure, his lip moving as if he was chewing over the idea. He looked at Poppy with uncertainty and she was grinning at him but then she had a very diplomatic look on her face like someone had flipped a switch as their eyes met.

“I normally wouldn’t approve of violence for making up,” she said in a very queenly voice. “But...” her voice softened back to normal, her eyes never stopped shining. “If it will help you two get along again then I wholeheartedly agree. But only if you’re ready, Branch,” she promised him her support as she took his hands and held them up.

He stared at her for a long while, contemplating. He sighed a moment later and his ears drooped with his head in momentary defeat before he looked his mate in the eye again.

“Alright! Alright, I’ll help. But only because I’ll get to knock him over on his backside!” he pointed out stubbornly like it hadn’t been Poppy’s eyes that had swayed him. Yeah, like that hadn’t been a factor at all. He didn’t know why he was even trying to lie to himself or her.

Poppy grinned widely, happy he would try to work things out with his brother! She was thrilled to help them be a family again!

“Let’s get you in your armor then,” Rose chipped in walking over to his armor stand.

Branch tried not to grumble and walked over and took off his circlet and placed it back on the dresser before he started strapping on pieces of his steel suit. Poppy watched on, fascinated.

Rose helped him to speed along the process and soon her Branch was not only a prince but a shining knight in armor. Poppy wasn’t aware she was staring dumbstruck, little stars in her eyes and drool daring to fall out of her mouth at the sight.

Her Branch looked absolutely regal, gleaming, fierce, brave, and noble from head to toe. The living fantasy of any fairytale princess in a children’s book and he belonged to her, armor or no. All she knew was her heart was racing and she was frozen with the sight. Her jaw a little slack as she stared at how well it suited him…there was furious blush on her face and her hands suddenly shivered against her chest. He had always been handsome, but this…this was different.

Even his blue skin seemed to have a soft glow, the light bouncing off the metal. The crown helmet on his head capturing an air of importance and command…

“Poppy?”

She blinked and suddenly he was in front of her, gleaming and staring down at her concerned through a romantic and fantastical atmosphere her own betraying mind was misting around him with golden dusty clouds of light and sparkles.

“You’re gorgeous,” she suddenly blubbered.

“What?” he chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her in confusion. But as he saw the look in her eyes he felt blood rush to his face. “Oh…you…you like it?” he asked trying to sound absentminded, one of his hands touching the breastplate with a bit of nervous tension. How in the world was he supposed to react to a comment like that?! He didn’t have the slightest idea but his heart knew as it raced.

She bit her lip and nodded vigorously till she was a little dizzy. “It really suits you, Branch. You look so handsome!” she beamed widely throwing her arms around him. Smack! “Ow…” she muttered as she thwacked into the metal and he chuckled loudly, wrapping his arms around her. “Maybe just a little hard to hug though…”

“Yeah, maybe I would try not ramming into me, Poppy,” he chortled, running his fingers up her back.

“Mm…noted,” she agreed pulling her face away from the cool material. A shiver ran up spine and she suddenly felt a growing swarm of butterflies assault her stomach, teasing her insides with nervous energy. Pulling away she was grinning again.

“Alright! You go spar with Thistle—”

Knocking came at the door and Rose nearly jumped, her hair bristling erratically. “It’s him!” she hissed.

“Go hide in the closet!” Poppy whispered and rushed to her and began pushing her towards the closet door.

“What good will that do? We can feel where we are now!”

“Just do it!” Poppy snapped pushing her onward. After she was done pushing Rose in she glanced at Branch had made several strange hand gestures quickly. First she pointed at the door, made a strangle wiggling motion with her arms, then a shooing gesture, and finally two thumbs up and a large toothy grin before hiding in the closet herself.

Branch sighed drearily and rolled his eyes with a faint smile at Poppy’s silliness. He turned to the door and braced himself, a stoic expression taking hold.

The door clicked and Branch found himself facing nervous blue eyes.

“Morning…Branch.”

“Morning,” he greeted with a monotone, trying to organize the feeling he felt rushing through his body as he saw his brother.

“Is…um…Rose in there?” Thistle finally grounded out past his teeth. “She vanished on me.”

Branch decided he wasn’t going to play games. “Yeah, she’s in here but she’s busy with Poppy.”

Poppy wanted to hiss from where she was listening in behind the closet doorframe but covered her mouth before it could happen. What was Branch doing?!

“Oh.” Thistle grimaced, biting his lip and his fingers started to nervously tap against his sides. “Well…I’ll just wait for her then.”

Silence soon followed and Branch just stared, trying to remember what he was supposed to be doing. But all he was thinking about was tackling Thistle and hitting him and his growing glare said as much.

Poppy glanced out the closet, Rose tense beside her.

“You could cut the air with a sword between those two…” Rose whispered quietly enough for it to be hard to hear.

“No kidding,” Poppy mouthed quietly back.

Finally, Thistle broke the tension with a quiet huff looking away.

“You’re coming to breakfast, right? Dad is gathering the whole family.”

“Yeah,” Branch confirmed. “Want to go spar?”

“What?” Thistle turned his gaze back up, shock evident in his gaze by the sudden request.

“Let’s go spar,” Branch repeated but this time it wasn’t a question. “Poppy said she would be busy with Rose till breakfast anyways.”

Thistle stared thoughtfully at him for a moment before he nodded. “Alright. Let me just get my armor on.”

“I’ll come with you,” Branch decided stepping out and closing the door behind him.

Thistle stared at him perplexed and he knew something was going on but he wasn’t going to question it. He knew this was his chance to make things right and he was trying to remember how to be tactful which he admitted was not one of his strongest points.

“Alright, also…we are planning a meeting today to decide what to do about the Umbragon, after you try pulling out the sword. We have about a week before the new moon but the monster might come sooner,” he informed as he got into a formal conversation he seemed to relax a little. “You and Poppy are coming to the meeting, right?”

Branch mulled over this news for a moment as they started to walk down the hallway. “We’ll come.”

Inside Branch’s room, Poppy had snuck out of the closet and her ear was plastered to the bedroom door, listening to the conversation and noise in the hallway. As she heard them leaving she turned to Rose with excitement.

“Alright! I’ll need you to go get Satin and Chenille first. They’ll get the dresses Thistle got you and tell the rest of the Snack Pack to come up here. I have to shower,” she suddenly frowned hoping that wasn’t too much to ask for. “Is that alright?”

Rose smirked and gave a playful salute. “Can do, your highness.”

Poppy giggled and Rose ended up laughing with her. They parted ways and Poppy skipped into the bathroom with her new dress, humming an upbeat tune. Nothing was getting in their way today!

 

* * *

 

It was tense and silent.

Every minute of it.

Branch was just trying to contain himself but it was like trying to turn off a fire someone had thrown more fuel on and he was starting to question what he had gotten himself into. Thankfully his patience and temper somehow held out while he waited for Thistle to don his armor, as they ascended down to the training area in the elevator, as Branch briskly walked to the private training room and picked up a sword and shield.

All in silence.

Deafening silence where every footfall and shifting of metal and wood armor seemed to echo out with a desire to torment the mind and thicken the growing toxic atmosphere. Branch wasn’t sure how he made at this point as he squared off in front of Thistle who like typically, didn’t lower his faceplate of his helmet and left his face exposed.

The stared at each other and there was that wretched, mocking silence again. Echoing in Branch’s eardrums till all he could hear was his own heartbeat and the faint sounds of their even breathing reverberating across the room.

He needed anything but that bloody silence tormenting him.

He lunged forward and steel blade met steel blade as the weapons clashed. The ringing echo, the shrieking of metal, the hitch in their breaths and rush in his blood… It was all music to Branch’s ears this morning as his contained anger finally boiled to the surface.

Fury was lent into his next blow but he fiercely held to control this time. He wasn’t going to let it blind him like that first battle with Thistle. This time he felt hyperaware, sharp, all his senses focused.

He lunged, swinging the blade down in an ark, smacking it a shield. A counter blade rushed his way which he deflected with a backhand thrust of his shield. His sword swung back in that same moment and he smashed forward, finally an angry growl ripping past his teeth.

Quickly he had Thistle on the defensive. And in every passing moment he could see the unfocused glare in his brother’s eyes, he was distracted today, his mind wasn’t clear. Branch could see this and his attacks got swifter, bolder, and deadlier as he twirled and his feet danced to the rhythm of practiced swordplay. His hair shot out suddenly and wrapped around Thistle’s shield, yanking it up in the air as Branch vaulted, spun over his brother’s head and yanking his arm back as Branch flew overhead while a blade sliced down.

“Auuurgh!” Thistle screamed in shock and pain. His arm suddenly twisted and pinned behind him and blood streaming down his purple cheek and splattering on his armor like rain.

“That’s for Poppy!” Branch yelled as he landed behind his brother and then he rushed and slammed his shield into Thistle’s shield arm, a resonating and painful sound of metal echoed out and Thistle yelled in pain again as his shoulder suddenly popped, dislocated. He even dropped his sword as pain spasm down his arms to his fingers. In the momentum of the force Branch knocked his brother down and Branch’s hair released the shield. A silvery point of steel landed dangerously close in front of Thistle’s face that kissed the floor.

“And that was for everything else,” Branch snarled, his foot slamming down on his brother’s back on top of shield held by his twisted arm and pinning him down. If it hurt, Thistle didn’t make a sound but his body betrayed him and tensed.

Thistle looked up with large shocked eyes and he stared for a moment at the fiery glare of Branch’s blue eyes. They were tense, staring each other down for a few long moments.

Eventually, Thistle let out a long and sullen sigh of defeat.

“I yield,” he muttered his cheek smacking into the floor. “You win. I deserved that.”

Branch stared for a moment as uncertainty started to wash in as his anger drained away. His heart was still racing but he felt the rage start dying as he saw the pitiful expression Thistle wore. He didn’t know why but it annoyed him to see his brother like that, it made him angry in a different way.

With a sour grunt Branch removed his foot off his brother’s back and his brother’s arm went slack and clattered to the side making Thistle suddenly hiss in pain.

Branch grimaced and winced as he suddenly remembered Rose… Darn it, by all the hair it looked like he hadn’t really contained himself at all. But the poison finally felt like it was being expended and cleaned from his system and from clouding his mind.

Dropping his sword Branch bent down and offered his hand.

Thistle trying to push himself up with one hand paused and stared warily for a moment at the hand then glanced at Branch.

A slight smile tugged at Branch’s face and Thistle looked back, took his hand without a word and Branch helped him up to his feet. Tiredness suddenly seemed to sink into Branch’s body but he ignored it.

“That was a good move, Branch,” Thistle commended awkwardly letting go of his brother’s hand to cup his limp arm.

“I picked it up from you,” he admitted, smugness daring to take his expression.

“Really?” Thistle asked raising an eyebrow. “I don’t believe I’ve ever done a maneuver like that. Grabbing the shield with your hair and using it against me was pretty genius.”

“Correction, the inspiration I got from you,” Branch rectified sounding a little proud now with the unexpected praise.

Thistle chuckled once, smirking, but his smile fell an instant later and awkward silence soon fell over them again.

Fidgeting, Branch bent down and picked up the two swords with a neutral expression. As he straightened himself up again Thistle’s voice made his ears twitch.

“I really am sorry, Branch. For everything I said, for everything I did. If I could take it all back…”

Branch turned his head to look at his brother and was caught off guard by pitiful guilt filled eyes that stared at him over a deep set frown. Somehow, Branch felt his heart cave, it may not be the same look Poppy could make but its effect was just as devastating on his heart it seemed.

He sighed and did the one thing he knew he should do.

He dropped the shield and weapons and wrapped his arms around his brother who froze up in shock. It was their first hug and Branch was sure to make it a bear hug without any kind of reservation.

“I forgive you…brother…” Branch finally said the word aloud to him and echoed strangely at first. But it felt right.

Thistle gasped and his one still good arm wrapped around Branch’s back and hugged him back just as hard till their chest plates muffled their breathing uncomfortably.

“Thank you, brother. You have…no idea what it means to hear that from you,” he admitted his voice sounding frazzled.

“I have a feeling I know,” Branch chuckled thinking off all the things he felt he still needed to apologize for to Poppy over the years he had treated her harshly. Even though he knew she would forgive him in a heartbeat it never meant he would forgive himself as easily. That would have to take time.

“This is…kind of nice. I can see why your Poppy hugs so much, though every hour it’s still a bit much for my taste,” he snorted.

Branch laughed and gave Thistle’s back a good pat. “You have no idea. You _really_ have no idea,” he repeated like a broken track.

“But seriously, Branch. You’re killing me shoulder, can you let me go now?”

“Gah!” Branch gasped suddenly releasing him and Thistle laughed loudly with good humor and it thundered in the room. It was a pleasant sound and it made even Branch smile as he saw the stoic Thistle laughing.

Thistle’s purple hand suddenly came down on Branch’s hair and like if they were two little brothers teasing each other he tussled up Branch’s blue locks till they were a mess and Branch tried to flinch away, smacking at his arm to get him off.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Branch half-growled half-laughed as he managed to step away and start to straighten his hair again. Boy was that annoying, but strangely…not in a bad way as Thistle smiled at him with open affection and amusement.

“What? Never had your hair messed with, bro?”

“Okay. First off, no. Only Poppy can touch my hair. Second, don’t start using slang on me too. Just speak straight or you’re going to drive me insane.”

“What, you don’t like my words, cuz?” Thistle mimicked Rowan’s annoying voice the best he could.

Branch laughed then his voice deadpanned. “Yeah, no. Just stop.”

Thistle snickered and laughed, snorting through his nose as he tried to contain himself but it took a minute for him to finally stop.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop. But I kind of like ‘bro’,” he admitted straightening up. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll use it sparingly, when I want to annoy you.” Branch opened his mouth but Thistle stopped him still grinning widely. “Ah! No arguing. I promise only in moments like this one. I am the big brother after all. I have to have some perks with the title, especially the teasing ones.”

Branch sneered and rolled his eyes. “Guess, I’m stuck with the annoying little brother role, hu?”

“Sounds about right,” Thistle agreed amused.

“Fine,” Branch groaned dramatically but he couldn’t help the smile stretching his face. “What do I have to do in return?”

The happy expression fell on Thistle’s face in favor to one of pain. “Just help me pop my shoulder back in place already. Before Rose comes stomping in here and hits us both.”

“Oh! Right!” Branch balked alarmed and suddenly rushed forward.

He stepped behind Thistle and put one sturdy hand on the shoulder and the other on his upper arm. Thistle grunted, gritted his teeth and gave him a short nod before Branch helped roll the arm up then downward and the shoulder popped loudly back in place.

“Gaaaah! Ah…ugh…” Thistle groaned, straightening up and rolled his shoulders, turned his neck experimentally and flexed his arm while his free hand rubbed the shoulder join. “Much better,” he muttered. “Did you really have to pick the shoulder that’s already been injured, Branch? I know you were mad at me but man that was pretty cold of you,” he snorted disported.

Branch frowned and caught just a glimpse of the huge twisting scar over Thistle’s shoulder hidden just under the shoulder guard.

“Did that leave you permanent damage?” he asked concerned, pointing at the scar.

“Naw,” Thistle brushed his worry off easily as he bent down and picked up his shield and sword. “Nothing physical at least. It healed a long time ago. I was just teasing you. I’ll tell you how I got the scar some time if you like. It’s a pretty gory story though. Sure you can handle it?” he jeered with a sharp and mocking glanced and smile and it was obvious he was trying to lighten the subject.

Branch snorted and rolled his eyes. “I think I can handle gory, Thistle,” he assured but then his voice lowered in decibel again and his tone remained concerned. “Why do you keep that scar? You have medicine to get rid of it, don’t you?”

Thistle rubbed his shoulder and frowned, he was silent for a long while before he spoke and he didn’t answer the question, the answer was obvious. “Maybe I’ll get rid of it someday. But it’s been with me for a long time now. Not sure I can get rid of it so easily anymore.”

“I know what you mean,” Branch mused and picked up his own gear as he thought of his years of panicked and introverted nature. “But you should try and let it go, Thistle,” he said looking back at his brother. “It’s in the past, you shouldn’t try to carry it your whole life.”

Thistle sighed and nodded. “I know. I will. When…I’m ready.”

Branch gave him a small smile and then looked at the clock. He frowned and wondered if Poppy’s plan was done?

“It’s almost breakfast, should we get going?” he asked turning to Thistle.

Thistle frowned and looked at the clock and was thoughtful for a few moments.

“We can be a little late,” he smirked turning a glinting eye on Branch. “I want a rematch. I was distracted earlier. Unless you’re not up for it…?” he taunted rubbing a thumb across the blood on his cheek inattentively.

Branch sneered and took a few backward steps as he readied himself, raising his sword and shield. “Oh, I’m up for it.”

 

* * *

 

“Guys…this is _really_ stupid,” Rose sassed for the tenth or twentieth time as the Snack Pack flittered around her arguing and singing about how her hair should look as she sat in front of Branch’s dresser with the ostentatious mirror reflecting her scowl back at her. Her arms were crossed trying to hide the frightening green dress the twins had fixed up for her from the dresses Thistle had given her.

“It’s not stupid!” Poppy repeated again with bright patience as she combed through Rose’s hair.

She was twirling around in a lovely creamy pink and purple dress that looked like petals of a flower that simply danced around her. She loved it! Even the twins had given it their expert seal of approval although they argued the metal tiara was absolutely not Poppy’s style but she wore it anyways.

“You look so pretty, Rose!” Biggie agreed as he attentively and almost lovingly combed her hair with a brush.

“Pew!”

“See? Even Mr. Dinkles thinks so!”

Rose let out a noisy huff.

“Relax your face, girl!” Satin chided pressing her fingers across Rose’s brow and trying to iron out the wrinkles.

“And stop wrinkling the dress!” Chenille added prying her arms open and ironing out the dress.

This…was _way_ too much touching for Rose’s liking. She was seriously starting to regret agreeing to this fiasco in the first place, she felt like she was itching under her own skin.

“I found makeup!” Cooper hollered coming over and jars and bottles spun on the dresser’s counter. “Dude…why does Branch have makeup?” he asked confused.

“Maybe he needs exfoliating and something to cover those eye wrinkles?” Guy offered and then looked at the mirror wiggling his eyebrows. “Not everyone can look this good all the time after all.”

Everyone started to laugh as Rose rolled her eyes and quietly admitted she was a little amused.

“It’s just standard in the royal rooms,” she explained.

“Doesn’t matter! It’s perfect!” Poppy exclaimed pulling some of the jars closer but then she turned to Guy with a serious little frown. “And I’ll have you know, Guy, Branch is _gorgeous_.”

“Ooooh!” came cooed and Poppy grinned as Guy gasped dramatically.

“Just wait till you see him in armor…gosh, he looked amazing!” she sighed dreamily.

“Poppy, you’re starting to drool,” Suki teased.

Everyone started laughing as Poppy went on about how handsome Branch looked in armor. She was applying some light make up to Rose’s face when she removed the bandaged and gasped to see that the cut was gone, just a faded little line. This started an entirely new conversation when Rose suddenly gasped.

“Ouch!” she yelped surprised, her hand smacking her right cheek.

“What is it?” Smidge piped up from where she was rubbing Rose’s feet and removing the dirt from her heels.

Everyone was tense and waiting, so many eyes fixed on her as she exchanged a look with Poppy.

“I think…Branch just cut Thistle’s face.”

Poppy let her positive smile just fall slightly. “Yeah… I’m feeling a lot of anger from Branch right now. I hope this was a good idea.”

“It is, trust me,” Rose promised despite her own misgivings. “Branch is a lot like our people and a lot like his brother even if they both don’t want to admit how alike they are. This will help get their negative feelings out.”

Poppy smiled again but she still looked a little worried as they continued. Fuzzbert was blocking the mirror now, making quiet rattling sounds as he spoke once in a while with a suggestion.

They finished working on Rose’s hair, tying it up with a red band and working on the locks on top as they formed her hair while they discussed Maddy’s techniques on hair styling. The twins in particular were experts working with the hair architect back at home to coordinate the latest fashion.

“Augh!” Rose yelled doubling over suddenly after Biggie has tugged a lock of hair.

“Oh! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” he yelped with a panic as Rose clutched her left arm.

“No, Biggie!” Poppy reassured grabbing Rose’s arms. “It’s Thistle,” she explained.

Everyone looked on worriedly as Rose hissed through her teeth and straighten up a few moments later, her eyes looking a little watery.

“If I had known Branch was going to…ugh,” she griped shaking her head. “It’s going away, but I still…feel it. Like a ghost feeling,” she muttered scowling.

“It’ll get easier,” Poppy assured. “The same thing happens to me with Branch.”

So far he hadn’t been injured which relieved Poppy but she wasn’t any happier that Thistle was getting hurt and in turn transferring the pain to Rose.

“Man, this soul mate thing doesn’t sound as rad anymore,” Cooper maundered looking at the others who were all exchanging concerned looks.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world,” Poppy interjected with a soft smile. “Even with its little downsides. It’s absolutely worth it,” she said wholeheartedly.

Rose smiled and nodded. “I haven’t experienced it very long, but I agree.”

“Let’s finish your hair to get your mind off it,” Poppy decided and they got back to work.

The mood improved and Poppy and Rose felt positive emotions rushing in through their bond from their boys they exchanged small knowing smiles. Soon they were done and pulling Rose to her feet.

“One last thing!” Poppy exclaimed as she rushed over to the pile of dresses and pulled out a silver tiara woven with delicate green vines with small red rosebuds and the middle a diamond shaped emerald glittered with intricately cut facets. She rushed back and placed it on Rose’s head.

Fuzzbert leapt out of the way of the mirror and Rose was met with a troll she didn’t recognize in the reflection. Her eyes widened and she gawked at the sight. The green dress made of gossamer was shaped in petals with intricate patterns that looked like the delicate veins of leaves directly in sunlight. Lace lined up to neck that wrapped over her shoulder and tied with a simple copper metal button shaped like an open rose over her chest. Her tied up dark red hair now looked like the blooming petals of a rose. She…

“I…I look like a princess,” she breathed astounded.

Everyone was smiling widely, giddy.

“Thistle really went all out,” Satin pitched in with an admiring voice.

“I mean your fashion designers could brighten their color palette a bit…” Chenille continued.

“But the touches like the colors and rose shaped buttons and items,” Satin breathed.

“All Thistle, just thinking of you,” Chenille sighed appreciatively as the twins leaned in on each other wearing their own new outfits.

Rose’s expression slowly became crestfallen as she stared at the stranger. “Or maybe he’s not happy I’m not a princess…” her voice cracking as her hands folded together tightly.

“Rose!” Poppy suddenly barked and stood in front of her, taking her hands. She stared fiercely at their new friend, determined to improve her self-confidence which she seemed to have in abundance except when it came to herself and appearance. “Thistle doesn’t care about that one bit! I know it!” she insisted heatedly and looked to the Snack Pack.

“Yeah, he obviously loves you. Don’t forget how he kissed you!” Suki sung.

Rose blushed slightly, still looking a little unsure.

“He just wants to spoil you and help you shine!” Chenille assured.

“Just look at all the clothes he picked for you. He wasn’t sure what you’d like but he clearly picked things that said ‘Rose’ to him, nothing over the top,” Satin chimed.

Chenille continued, “He just probably picked everything he thought looked as pretty as you already do. Boys can be pretty simple when comes to clothes, like Branch, don’t overthink it.”

“Yeah!” everyone started agreeing and Rose looked around at them, tears starting to form in her eyes as she smiled at them.

“Thanks, guys,” she breathed shakily, letting out a little laugh. “You’re all really great.”

“Now, don’t ruin the makeup and glitter!” Guy cut in with a handkerchief as he brushed the tears away and Rose chuckled and nodded as he dried her eyes.

Rose turned to Poppy with a grateful smile when he was done and pulled her close into a hug. Soon she was swarmed in a group hug and she didn’t mind one bit. They quickly finished Poppy’s hair which she decided to leave loose today as she wore her new metal and flower headband along with her crown and they left for breakfast.

They chatted and sung and Rose smiled, listening and looked a little nervous as she led the way to the royal dining room.

“Oh!” Poppy broke song and stopped as they were before the elevator. “I forgot to tell you guys!” she squealed excitedly. “Branch asked me to marry him!”

The joyous congratulations echoed loud and clear down the hallways as the Snack Pack chanted in glee. They each hugged Poppy and started to ask questions about the ring, when the wedding was, how she wanted her dress to look like… Poppy was glad to answer them all but she had no idea when they should have the wedding since she and Branch had yet to discuss it. Somehow they all agreed for her and Branch that it had to be the first thing done when the matter with the Umbragon was dealt with. Now the issue was where to have the wedding.

They soon made it to the royal dining room and as they opened the doors they were greeted by cheerful good mornings and introductions.

King Oak gasped as he saw Poppy and Rose.

“Such radiant sunshine you two are! Flowers will surely bloom just with you two walking past them,” he breathed pulling them both into a hug.

Poppy giggled as she hugged him. “Now I know where Branch got his poetic side.”

King Oak laughed robustly as he let them go. “Guilty!” he beamed. “Let me introduce you to the family, Poppy. You too, Rose, I know you already know them but they should know you,” he insisted charmingly.

The two exchanged smiles and they along with the Snack Pack were introduced to Grandma Maple, King Sorbus, Princess Primrose, and Prince Rowan who exchanged an awkward hello with Rose. It was a small family but Poppy liked every bit of it, it meant more family than Branch had originally though he had and that thrilled her.

Poppy announced the proposal and the King was exuberant, insisting the wedding should be held under the sacred shade of the Mother Troll Tree where his wedding had been and Poppy loved the idea but insisted Branch had to decide too. She would just have to bring the whole village with her and she knew they would love the kingdom and trolls here if her mate agreed.

They all sat down and breakfast was served, the chef and his assistants pouring out with bright and colorful dishes.

“Where are those two boys!” King Oak fussed fisting the table impatiently. “Can a father not ask them to be punctual for a little celebrating?” he groaned.

Poppy and Rose exchanged a look from across the table next to the two empty seats on either side of the king.

“They’re sorting out their difference, your highness,” Rose explained with a bright and more relaxed smile.

“Oak, Rose! Oak!” he insisted but he was smiling. “They are? Oh, thank the Mother. I was worried those two might be icy forever.”

“I think that’s water under the bridge now,” Poppy smiled brightly. She could only feel positive emotions from Branch.

“Good! While we wait, would you mind telling me how you two got together, Poppy?” King Oak asked with a curious smile. “I want to know if his tale of romance can compare to mine,” he chuckled.

Poppy was glad to comply as she started retelling her favorite story. King Oak wasn’t surprised by what a paranoid grump his son was and was enjoying the story, especially about the fight with the spiders. That is till everyone gasped when Poppy told them how Branch had thrown her mandolin in the fire.

“He did what!?” King Oak gasped horrified.

“Hey! I made you that mandolin for your birthday!” Suki suddenly surged up looking red.

Poppy nodded seriously then her eyes went wide with horror. She suddenly jumped up, her fingers fraying through her hair as she yelled. “Oh my gah! Branch’s birthday is in five days! And I don’t have anything for him!”

Every one of the royals shrunk back by her sudden shriek but the Snack Pack was suddenly fretful as they too realized they had nothing for Branch’s birthday. They hadn’t done anything for him for years, well except Poppy that is, because he hated his birthday. He hated any celebration really, but this year was different. And they had nothing! Not even a birthday bash ready!

King Oak chuckled and leaned towards Poppy. “I got you covered my dear, we’ll get something squared away for the day. Tell me anything you need,” he grinned.

Poppy’s smile grew big and wide, eyes sparking and that’s when the doors opened to the dining room. A chuckling Branch and Thistle were shoving each other as they walked in making mostly everyone pause and eye them surprised.

Both boys seemed to finally notice where they were and suddenly straightened up, snapping like twigs and trying to regain their stoic expressions.

They stared into the room and the Snack Pack gawked as they saw a Branch in armor. But no one’s jaw was more slack than Thistle’s as he blushed heavily and stared at Rose from across the room with large blue eyes like full moons.

Branch looked at his brother and realized he wasn’t going to talk right now so he gave him a shove to snap him out of it. But Thistle just started walking towards his seat without ripping his eyes off his mate.

Rose blushed with a small smile and looked away and down at her food, trying to act nonchalant as Thistle slowly approached and sat down next to her. His face was getting redder and redder as he took in her new beauty and ignored everyone else.

Branch sighed and shook his head at the hopeless state of his brother. He looked back into the room and as his eyes fell on Poppy his blue eyes grew wide and he also blushed at the sight of her and her new dress and tiara and crown. She was stunning, fitting perfectly into the style of the Glade Trolls fashion, and then he gulped nervously, making her smile.

“Um…sorry, we’re late,” Branch muttered finally tearing his eyes and looking at his dad as he walked around the table to Poppy’s side and sat down.

“Oh, no worries,” King Oak rumbled with a smug smile waiting for him to sit. “Poppy here was just regaling us with the story of how you two became friends and fell in love while saving your friends.”

Branch frowned nervously, his blush getting a darker blue across his cheeks as he pulled his chair in.

“Son,” King Oak continued, his voice getting critical. “Did you really burn this lovely lady’s mandolin in a fire? After she sung to you?” he asked disappointed yet with subtle amusement as he knew he was about prick his son’s pride.

Branch froze and his head suddenly snapped to Poppy.

“You told them that?!” he hissed appalled.

Poppy blushed and shrugged sheepishly not that she looked all that regretful. “It’s part of the story!” she defended. “And it did make the fire oh so toasty.”

“Ugh!” Branch face met his face as he grumbled incoherently. “So?” he continued picking up his head. “You could have left that part out! Now everyone knows what a jerk I was to you.”

“Well, you were,” King Oak mused. “I hope you apologized to her,” he said twirling his fork, still restraining his own smile as he watched his son squirm. It was funny, he had to do what any father would to embarrass his child before his mate. It was simply traditional and one he could finally appreciate.

Branch bit his lip and his ears drooped and he glanced at her guiltily. Just another thing he knew he needed to apologize for and she was just smiling like the sun, all too bright. “I’ll make you a new one,” he promised. “And of course I’m sorry,” he insisted with a frown.

“Aw!” she beamed and suddenly pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek sweetly. “Don’t worry, you were forgiven a long time ago,” she promised softly.

He smiled back tentatively and wasn’t surprised. That was Poppy alright. Then he frowned seriously at her. “Does this mean you’ll leave that part out of the story next time?”

“Nope!” she yipped in an instant. “I’m going to tell everyone. Our kids and even our grand-kids! It’ll be in the history books!”

“Ugh!” Branch groaned his head hitting the table and somehow his hair staying out of the food. He didn’t even think about the fact Poppy had brought up children, just the idea that his shame was never going to die.

“Branch, sit up straight,” Grandma Maple said most ruffled from across the table.

“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled before picking up his head and staring at Poppy sourly but fondly as she giggled and smiled at him. “You just can’t let me live that down, can you?” he asked defeated, already guessing her answer.

Poppy snickered and shook her head. “I love you,” she said in apology.

“Yeah, I love you too,” he grumbled past the smile taking his face as he took her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA! Poor Branch, like hell you're gonna live that mandolin incident down. Not in my story either you sure ain't boy! Lol, just can't give him a break but that's why we love him! x'D Till later everyone, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	27. Balfour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Apologies if the wait was killing you, it was a busy week for me. Not to mention I did something terrible... I wrote the first chapter of a whole new Trolls fanfic. Oops! :'D Don't worry, I won't post it till this story is done and even then I'm not sure all of you will like it, but that's alright!
> 
> Also Secretsivekept is making sure I don't abandon you all! (Yes, art bribes work like a charm and without fail, heck you can even ask for spoilers if you really want but nothing too revealing!) Look at this amazing work they keep tormenting and bribing me with! Thistle turning black (that was revenge, I know it.), Rose in her new dress!, and hey look at that! Branch is there so his brother doesn't look like a gawking fool! x'D And other amazing AU work you have to give some love!
> 
> http://secretsivekept.tumblr.com/post/159874635713/dragonnmr-secretsivekept-so-ive-accumulated
> 
> Anyways I love you all, see you later! Oh, warning: cliffhanger incoming! Ciao! ;P

* * *

 

Branch had never taken the elevator to this part of the tree. They were on a separate floor above the library. Here there was a secondary provisional armory and a separate elevator with lock and key that could only be opened with a special key only the king had a right to use and never left his possession. The elevator was more of a giant platform, ready to raise a small force to the surface of the most sacred part of the tree.

“Wow…” Cooper awed.

“No kidding,” Suki agreed quietly.

The Snack Pack had been invited to come. Every one of the royal family was here except Grandma Maple who didn’t want to be anywhere near the sword Balfour and the top of the tree. Calamus and Aspar were with them too.

Just then climbing up the steps was a silent Princess Azalea and her two guards who ignored the curious looks of the Snack Pack. She paused before the group and smiled pleasantly and bowed to the king first before turning to the rest.

“You must be Queen Poppy, it is a pleasure to meet you, your highness,” she curtsied.

Poppy stared for a moment and branch had to admit he was nervous and stiff like a log. He was however glad the princess was finally acting respectful and distant. He watched as Poppy took in this princess’s looks before she picked up the edges of her new dress and gave her a slight bow in return.

The princess then turned to Thistle only to pause and eye Rose a bit stunned.

“Lieutenant Rose?” she asked surprised.

“Yes?” Rose asked with a bit of an unnerved edge to her voice.

“I did not recognize you,” Azalea said looking her over with a critical eye before her gaze landed on Thistle’s and Rose’s intertwined arms. “I’m quite astonished, the attire suits you. I take it everything turned out well then? Even after the truth came out? I am glad,” she said without pause and gave Thistle a significant smile that made Rose tense and stare between them suspiciously.

Thistle bowed to the princess, giving her a thankful simper in return. He said nothing however and the group turned and started to walk to the elevator again.

“Where exactly did she kiss you?” Poppy hissed quietly to Branch, holding his arm.

He flinched and turned wide eyes on her. “What!? Where did you hear that?”

“Doesn’t matter where I heard it,” she snapped back casting an eye back on the princess at the back of the group as they walked towards the elevator. “Just tell me where.”

Branch’s mouth suddenly pinched up and Poppy’s gaze turned into a piercing glare. She started to crush his arm in her hug and didn’t blink as she stared back with insisting silence.

He finally caved and his ears drooped as he exhaled with defeat. Silently his hand came up to his face and his tapped his lips with a finger in response.

Anger flashed across Poppy’s features as she silently began to fume. How dare that princess kiss _her_ Branch! And on the _mouth!_   That was Poppy’s territory and hers alone!

She gritted her teeth and started to count in her head as Branch stared at her worried. Poppy closed her eyes and breathed out of nose and Branch kept leading her. It took a few breaths but soon she had a somewhat carefree smile on her face again, looking bright and positive and even allowed a little skip in her step.

“You scare me sometimes,” Branch muttered as he had watched her entire routine to calm her boiling temper. But he could still feel some of it that she was suppressing and that could only mean she was planning something vengeful.

“There’s no reason to be scared,” she hummed and cuddled his arm.

“You’re going to get revenge aren’t you?” he asked flatly.

“Oh, definitely,” she replied perkily.

“I didn’t kiss her back!” he hissed exasperated.

“Who said the revenge was for you?” she asked sweetly, large innocent eyes turned to him.

He grimaced and stared at her for a moment. “Yeah…you scare me alright,” he mumbled but a smile was daring to pull at his lips. He was just relieved she wasn’t mad at _him_.

Poppy just grinned back as they all started to step on the elevator after King Oak had unlocked the fence doors and pushed them aside.

In the silence it was not hard to hear what others said. King Oak was chatting with Aspar while Calamus occasionally commented. The Snack Pack was sharing a quiet conversation. But the closest voices to Branch and Poppy were Thistle and Rose and their banter was starting to make Branch uncomfortable. Thistle finally seemed to have snapped out of his enchanted dumbstruck silence but he rarely seemed to tear his eyes off Rose and it was putting her on edge which was obvious to anyone who could see.

“You really do look ravishing, no, radiant, no, both,” Thistle insisted quietly as he couldn’t decide on one description, which felt like the tenth time to Branch.

“Thistle, shut up,” Rose muttered back and the blush was practically in her voice.

“Why won’t you let me compliment you?” he asked a little frustrated.

“Because it’s inaccurate and annoying. Get a pair of glasses!” she sassed back flustered.

He grumbled, scowling slightly as he held her hand. “You need the pair of glasses. You’ve always been beautiful. I don’t know why you can’t see it.”

Rose snorted with derision, rolling her eyes even though her face was redder than usual. Yet she tried to insist his words had no effect on her but her voice clearly trembled as she tried to argue back.

“If I’m so beautiful why are you trying to dress me like a princess? Doesn’t sound like my normal looks are your kind of beautiful,” she said letting sarcasm and uncertainty drip into her voice.

He was silent for a second, staring. Then he leaned in whispering in her ear but Branch could still hear it as his ears involuntarily twitched.

“Everything about you is my kind of beautiful. Armor, dress, covered in dirt, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t need a princess, just you,” he whispered honestly, planting a kiss on her cheek. Rose fell silent with wide eyes and deep blush running down to her neck as she glanced at Thistle with a turbulent yet hopeful gaze. He smiled softly back with open adoration, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

“Ugh!” Branch finally couldn’t help groaning aloud, rolling his eyes while Poppy giggled. It was sickeningly sweet. Too sweet!

“Shut up, Branch,” Thistle growled, giving his brother a backhand slap on the back.

“Go get a room instead of making us all suffer!” Branch snapped back only turning his head.

Thistle just gave him a devilish grin. “I tried but my good looks scared her off—Oomph!” he suddenly coughed as Rose regained her composure and elbowed Thistle hard between his breastplate and back plate. She glared at him as he doubled over trying to regain his breath.

Branch chuckled. _This_ was a lot better.

“What about me?” Poppy interjected, yanking slightly at Branch’s arm.

He frown surprised and turned his eyes on her.

“What about you?”

“Am _I_ your kind of beautiful?” she asked fluttering her eyelids.

The Snack Pack started to snicker as Branch flushed and grew flustered and stiff.

Branch gulped and King Oak finally looked back chuckling as the elevator whirled quietly and pulled them up the shaft.

Branch turned a glare around at all of them including Thistle who was wheezing with laughter.

“You’re all evil,” he finally grumbled red in the face and turning his slight glare on Poppy. “Especially, you.”

Poppy gave him one of those pouts, her eyes somehow looking bigger and he felt himself start to cave with that dirty play. “So I’m not?” she mumbled.

“Ugh…” he groaned and swallowed, trying to get over the nervousness he was suddenly swimming in with all the expectant gazes and occasional giggles. Any voice he could muster was a whisper as he leaned toward her ear and of course they could all still hear him. “Of course you are. More beautiful than the moon and stars…” he choked realizing he was just vomiting words at this point as Poppy stared with shining eyes. “Please make me stop…” he moaned painfully.

She laughed, one of those soul-filled ones that made everything lighter in the world around her and brushed away his anxiety. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. But I want to hear this later!”

“In private. Anything,” he promised relieved.

“Oh, sounds like we need a room too…”

Now he stared confused at her mischief and as Rose let out a loud snort she muffled with her hand. “We already have a room…” he trailed off as Poppy winked deviously.

…

He stared blankly and it took a moment for it to set in.

Suddenly his face was burning! Dark purple blush saturating his cheeks and making the glitter freckles he had sparkle.

“Poppy!” he hissed shocked. Was she _really_ implying what he thought she was implying?!

She laughed and exchanged a look with Rose who also started laughing. Branch looked back with dismay and his brother looked just as startled as him, shrugging.

“Alright, enough you two!” King Oak guffawed. “You’re making everyone blush in here!”

“It’s disgusting. I don’t know what you mean by blushing,” Calamus growled.

“Lighten up, Cal, they are still children,” Aspar chuckled quietly. “Don’t tell me you’re so old you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be that age and in love.”

“How many times have I told you not to call me that, Aspar?” Calamus growled.

The two elders started to bicker the remainder of the elevator ride while Branch tried not to hyperventilate, his heart racing. Even with Poppy hugging his arm he was not reassured, she was currently the source of his new nervousness! Why did she have to bring up something like _that_ now of all times?! Since when did she even _think about that!?_

“Calm down, Branch. I was just teasing,” she promised stroking his arm. “I’ll explain later,” she assured calmly and seeing the calmness in her eyes he felt his heart ease, just a little.

He grumbled something incoherent about her going to be the death of him when the doors or the elevator opened up and sunlight streamed in making them all wince.

Branch fell silent and with the rest of the Snack Pack he stared up in awe at the towering branches and canopy of leaves mantled against the azure sky. The early morning sunlight broke through the blanket of green raining down shafts of light with old gnarled veins and drapery of moss that created a hazy green over the giant dip that created a valley of soft mossy turf among the branches at the tree’s pinnacle.

It was like a small paradise atop the Mother Troll Tree. The moss was like grass before their feet and even patches of flowers bloomed with mushrooms and each towering branch that arched up toward the sky had natural stairs growing out of the wood and sentinel trolls with gates between them that towered high, aged and beaten by weather and vines till the features of their faces was all but faded.

The summit of the tree was magical in its own right as small insects fluttered about and at the center of the knotted wood slope where the perspective of the world converged was a grown, twisted mass of roots, with an ancient stained blade buried deep in the heart of the tree. Even at the cusp of the giant plateau they all felt like ants walking into an older and sacred world.

Here time felt still, peace hummed quietly with the rustling song of the tree as it breathed and a sense of melancholy lingered like before an ancient grave.

“Come,” King Oak whispered ushering them all forward down the bare bark paths free of moss and smoothed by time that led to the sword and the pedestal in which is stood.

Branch was staring in awe still as was Poppy. It was Thistle’s firm hand that pushed him forward and pulled Poppy along with him.

Nervously, Branch glanced at his brother and much to his surprise found his older sibling smiling encouragingly at him. Confidence in his blue eyes and Branch felt the pit in his stomach coil with dread and anticipation before he glanced at Poppy.

Her pink eyes met his filled with wonder before together they looked ahead and trudged down the path worn by time long past.

In the silence all their footsteps seemed to echo around them. Somewhere high above a bird sung and fell silent, giving the silence greater strength as they walked.

Within a few minutes they crossed the distance to the center of the ring that crowned the top of the tree. Branch’s eyes were fixed on the blade that was covered in moss, maculated by weather and age till patches of it looked like rusted grey while others were vibrant silver like freshly forged steel gleaming with captured moonlight. Its hilt looked like a twisted wood staff rising up to a golden pommel that took the shape of a troll’s natural coif. The cross-guard was twisting branches and leaves of steel with a glistening clear rainbow gem at its rain guard leading down to the blade held tight by overgrown wood.

The design was elegant yet simple and Branch could see where generations of weapon designs for the Glade Trolls came from staring at the sword from an ancient time.

Branch felt his heart skip a beat as they came within its presence. The air around it seemed almost alive but dark, as a foreboding energy swathed over its existence and was contained…held at bay. In fact even though the roots were clearly alive and moss lingered in small patches…the area felt like sickness and death was seeping, creeping, waiting to be freed. In fact, the wood coils and floor around the sword was dark, verging to a tainted blackish brown that seeped even into the moss that managed to grow there.

Life and death were in an eternal battle here as light and life tried to gleam from the steel and keep the darkness at bay. Only for death to slowly creep, tarnish, and ravage till the blade’s life force was consumed.

This sword was supposed to save them? The air was saturated with such negative energy clashing with the calm vibrant life of nature that Branch wasn’t sure. He felt his senses and instincts were running amok in his own body standing even ten feet before it.

Quietly the trolls formed a semicircle at a respectable distance from the twisted roots and blade.

Branch stepped forward and Poppy let go of his arm, watching after him. Her mate, a knight, no, a prince and her future king, in gleaming armor standing before a trial of worth to decide all of their fates. She could feel the burden weighing down his soul and she just prayed. Prayed silently to the Mother Troll Tree to finally let the sword go and help them save her and all the trolls.

“Prince Branch, wait a moment,” Calamus spoke up and his old withered voice echoed in the glade.

Eyes turned to him but he was as impassive as ever as he turned his old greying blue eyes on Rose and pushed up his round spectacles up the bridge of his large round nose.

“Will you try pulling out the sword, Lieutenant Rose?”

She stared confused and exchanged a glance with Thistle before looking up at the blade. She stared for a moment before looking back at the alchemist.

“But the sword rejected me years ago. Why should now be any different?”

“I theorize that those that are marked have the potential to pull out the sword,” he explained quietly and his voice easily carried in the wide breath of silence in the outside world.

She frowned. “Didn’t you also theorize that once rejected there is no second chances?”

He shrugged, leaning over his old twisted wooden cane. “Maybe that theory is not right, even though there is centuries of evidence to say otherwise. Just try. Before Prince Branch does.”

Rose stared at him with uncertainty before glancing at Thistle. He was also frowning but as their eyes met he smiled genuinely.

“You should try. I don’t know anyone nobler than you,” he said honestly.

Rose gave him a wry smile as she didn’t quite believe his words herself. She turned to face the blade and let out a long sigh before she grabbed the edges of her dress and walked towards the twisting columns of wood.

Branch stepped back and watched as Rose quickly climbed the twisted roots even with a dress. Nothing seemed to ever stop her.

As she made it to the top of the twisting roots that coiled into a spiral platform around the blade and consumed its lower half, she let go of her dress and glared down at the blade.

The world didn’t seem to stir and time seemed misplaced.

With a determined and serious frown she reached forward and her hand grasped the long hilt.

Black sparks suddenly shot through the air and the atmosphere darkened significantly and the vibrancy of the morning light seemed to vanish. Razing, splitting through the air the negative energy hissed and grappled around her body as she screamed in pain as it twisted and coiled around her. Jet night darkness bounced up her arm, wrapped around her chest and electrocuted and shot straight for her forehead and caged her entire body in a split moment, searing and fleshing across every surface.

“Auuuugh!”

“Augh! ROSE!” Thistle roared, resisting the urge to flinch with internal pain that was shot and transferred into his body. He forced himself through sheer willpower to fight past the paralysis and pain clearly contorting his body and face. He rushed forward.

“Rose!” everyone seemed to scream and Branch and Poppy rushed forward with the Snack Pack.

Suddenly a bright flash exploded from the gem of the blade, rippling down the steel and making it shine for a moment as Rose was knocked back. Her body went flying through the air, tumbling down the twisting roots towards the floor with quiet thuds.

Thistle was faster. His hair shot forward in a rush of dark turquoise and coiled securely around her body in a blink before yanking her down safely into his arms.

“Rose!” he gasped, trembling as he fell to his knees with her limp body in his arm.

Everyone was quickly around him except Calamus and Princess Azalea and her guards who stood back watching. Only Calamus wasn’t frozen like the Rhodon princess, he was staring intrigued and unsurprised as he rubbed his chin with one hand.

No one was paying him any heed though as they all clambered around Thistle and gazed down at Rose with obvious worry and fear.

“Rose!” Thistle begged, gently shaking her. His hand came up and brushed away her frayed hair that was now in disarray, black scorch marks on her face, ranking down her cheeks. Black marks burnt into the green fabric of her dress but nothing like the black marks that completely swallowed the hand that had touched Balfour. The burnt smell of hair, fabric, and skin contaminated the air.

Slowly her green eyes blinked open and Thistle groaned with utter relief, moisture daring to bud around his eyes. Everyone else gasped and breathed in relief, relaxing around Thistle and Poppy pressed up against Branch trying to suppress her panic just as much as he was. Biggie was sobbing loudly over all of them.

“Rose!” Thistle gasped relieved and pulled her up to his face, his nose gently pressing to hers before his lips kissed her head. “Are you okay, my Rose?”

“Thistle…ugh…that hurt worse than eating bitter berries,” she grumbled still a bit incoherent.

Thistle let out a shaky laugh and shook his head. “Rose that hurt a lot worse than a stomach ache,” he said softly still holding her up gently.

She tried to smile but it obviously was a difficult effort for her. “It’s what came to mind,” she mumbled partially amused, mostly weakly.

“Hmm…just like I guessed.”

Thistle tensed and shot a glare back over his shoulder and the trolls parted like water so he could see the source of the voice.

“What do you mean like you ‘guessed’, Calamus?” he demanded, anger slowly seething into his voice. “Are you saying you _knew_ this was going to happen?”

Calamus shrugged nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t say I _knew_ for certain, your highness. But yes, I guessed as much that Balfour would reject anyone marked by the Umbragon, somehow. I did say a marked troll might have the _potential_ , I didn’t say they would be _worthy_ ,” he scoffed. “A troll harboring a piece of the darkness inside them obviously can’t pull out a blade of light and life. I just wasn’t sure how the sword would react, if it would react at all that is.”

By the end of his words Thistle was shaking with rage, his teeth gritted hard together as he stared hatefully at the old pale blue troll. He suddenly froze as a hand touched his face, gently cupping his cheek to calm him.

He quickly looked down confused and concerned at the troll in his arms and his fury melted as he met tired green eyes and a small patient smile.

“I’ll be fine, Thistle,” she insisted quietly as the others stared on a bit lost. “This was necessary…”

“It was **not** necessary!” he protested painfully, his voice tight as he pulled her closer. “None of this was necessary! You getting hurt and…” he trailed off into silence as her fingers brushed over his lips.

Thistle was left staring with a turbulent gaze as she smirked at him softly as her uninjured hand lingered on his face.

“Hush, it’s fine,” she continued. “Like this Calamus made sure Branch won’t get hurt or rejected when he tries to touch Balfour.”

Thistle painfully gritted his teeth, frowning deeply and tears looking like they might break free from his eyes. He wanted to protest, yell at her for being a noble fool…but the words were stuck in his throat.

So did Branch as he stared at his friend and his brother’s soul mate who was so willing to get hurt for those she cared about. It was painful to watch. Branch hated that she had gone through this almost as much as Thistle did who had shared her pain and probably still was. Branch wanted to protest as much as Thistle that she shouldn’t be so quick to sacrifice herself! But they both knew it was pointless to argue at this point, it was done.

“Prince Thistle, if you still have those potions I gave you, your brother needs one,” Calamus’s voice spoke up dryly, sounding too even and detached.

Thistle kept staring into Rose’s eyes before he let out a long sigh and let go of her waist to reach into his hair. His other hand however refused to let go of her back and from supporting her head.

He didn’t even turn his head as he pulled out the two glowing white vials and held them in the air. Branch reached forward and took both and Thistle returned his attention and touch to Rose alone. He gently reached forward and picked up her black burnt arm by the elbow and grimaced.

“I’m going to take Rose to Dr. Sage,” he decided gruffly and with a swoop of his arms he lifted her up in his strong embrace and she softly gasped, caught by surprised but not enough to protest. She was in too much pain to complain.

“Wait…” she muttered her voice getting progressively stronger, but with strength the agony became more apparent. “I want to see Branch pull out Balfour,” she asserted with a gravely tone.

Thistle grimaced and glared at her in disapproval. “You’re burnt, Rose. You need medicine. They can tell us what happened later.”

“Please?” she finally asked and Thistle tensed, caught by surprised by the weak plea. If anything he expected her to argue and demand but to ask him so gently…he wasn’t sure how to react as he stared shocked.

“It would mean the world to me, Thistle. For my parents. For all of us…the doctor can wait a little,” he persuaded blinking her eyes tiredly as she pressed her unburned hand on his chest plate.

Thistle scowled unhappily and sighed. How could he argue with that? Even if she was in pain and he could feel it. Even if just knowing and looking at her as she lay injured in his arms hurt him more than anything in the world for him in that moment.

He gave her a hard little nod, relenting. “Alright, but straight to the infirmary once it’s decided,” he argued unyieldingly.

She smiled relieved and her head pressed into his chest just under his chin and she looked back out toward the other trolls.

Everyone had been watching the exchange with concerned frowns. As Thistle’s eyes met his brother’s they brimmed with urgency, asking him to act hastily and Branch couldn’t ignore that silent plea. He nodded to him seriously and uncorked one of the vials.

“Drink the other, Queen Poppy,” Calamus interjected. “You’re souls are linked. If you remain tainted the result might be the same. Both of you have full marks unlike Rose. The results might even be more devastating…”

The trolls glanced at him for a moment as Branch and Poppy exchanged a worried look. She reached over and Branch passed her the second vial without a word, nervousness coming over him in a new way.

“Princess Azalea?” Thistle’s voice asked confused and Poppy and Branch paused to look.

The princess had walked up to him during the commotion. She frowned looking at Rose in his arms as she reached into her light pink hair and pulling out the third vial.

“Here, Rose,” she said softly reaching forward and pressing the potion in her uninjured hand. Rose frowned confused and looked up at the princess with a questioning gaze. Azalea smiled gently. “Maybe it will help, either way it was made for you.”

“But…princess,” Thistle protested weakly, his voice shaking with gratitude as he looked at her. “Your mark… Calamus does not have enough to make another potion. If you do this…”

Azalea shook her head stubbornly. “My decision remains the same, Prince Thistle.” Her expression softened as she met his gaze and she smiled. “You and your brother share something special. Your people need you. The Mother Troll Tree needs you. And you _need_ Rose. If the sword cannot be pulled…” he voice lowered into a softer whisper. “Then at least you will have one of the sacrifices to appease the monster. I will be honored to give my life for our kingdoms and to preserve our future for another five years, so long as you promise to not give up and show that kindness within you to others as you showed me earlier.”

Thistle’s breath caught and he stared with wide eyes stormy and fraught by emotion. He didn’t know what to say but he nodded once in promise.

Rose stared on a bit lost, her gaze twitching between the two.

“Thistle.”

Thistle looked up confused as Branch walked to him with a troubled expression.

“How did you break my bond with Poppy?” he asked suddenly and Thistle tensed.

“A potion that Calamus made with both of your hair,” he said after a moment of hesitation.

Branch frowned surprised, opening his mouth.

“I took some of her hair the day I took you from her,” Thistle answered before Branch could ask.

“Why?” Branch asked a bit unnerved.

Thistle shrugged. “I didn’t know if I would need it but if I did…” he sighed ashamed. “I knew I could use it against you.”

Branch frowned and nodded in understanding but that was in the past now and it offered a new opportunity. “I need another one of those potions…”

“What?!” This time Poppy screamed as she had been listening in and the Snack Pack gasped. “Why?” she demanded rushing up to Branch.

His ears drooped as he frowned at her, taking her free hand with his own.

“If something happens to me… I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he explained quietly. “If we break our bond, at least you have a chance,” he whispered painfully.

“No!” she growled stomping her foot making Branch freeze as he saw the livid expression scrunching up her face. “We are in this together, Branch!”

She pulled him closer with surprising strength and he tensed as their faces got closer and he was forced to face her fiery pink gaze. She glared at him for a moment before the angry expression fell.

“I told you I can’t image a single day without you, Branch. No matter what comes…we are in it together. No matter what happens to us, it will be together. I said I won’t ever let you go again, and I meant it,” she importuned softly, her hand brushing up his arm and his fingers brushed up hers as he looked at her choked and conflicted.

“Poppy…” he whispered, torn. Sad he had caused her distress and distraught that she would rather die with him than live.

“It wouldn’t make a difference either way,” Calamus spoke up making them both turned to stared at him and his milky gaze. “The potion may sever the metaphysical bond between you two but it cannot undo the permanent physical bond you both now have. That effect is permanent. If one of you is dying then the same will happen to the other once the bond has been made. There is no going back.”

Branch felt his heart plummet as hope was taken from him. In the end he couldn’t save her even if he wanted to? That was fairly cruel.

“But how about right now?” Branch fretted looking up at the sword. “You said the sword might take life, even from the one who wields it,” he said worriedly turning to his father.

King Oak nodded concerned. “If you can pull it out once, Branch, I’m sure you can pull it out again. The moment you set it free, put it back in its place till the battle actually commences,” he said with a hard glare as he turned to stare at the sword too. “If you feel it draining you we will think of a way to swiftly kill the beast before the sword can take you and Poppy.”

Branch frowned and nodded, a little reassured. If it was instantaneous though…at least he could leave the sword free for someone else to use.

He turned to Poppy and her serious expression turned to a smile as she lifted the light gleaming potion in a toast. He smirked at her spirit and their little bottles clinked, the sound of glass ringing like a bell over the hollow before they chugged the liquid.

It wasn’t cold and icy as Branch had expected but more like a blossoming warmth almost verging on the sensation of burning as the potion slipped down his throat. As it hit his stomach be was sure the sensation felt ghastly familiar as he gasped surprised, heat radiating from his core.

He coughed and felt the sensation double as Poppy also gasped and teetered. He tried to reach her as his hand clutched as his chest but he was swaying as the overwhelming energy burned through his body. Thankfully the Snack Pack had their backs. Biggie and guy were quick to catch Branch from falling just as Suki and the twins caught Poppy respectively.

Branch felt his eyes shut tight and suddenly he and Poppy yelled together as the energy rushed deeper in and something dark withered and hissed inside, surging to get away. Their bodies started to glow as they fell back, gasping and from their foreheads where the marks resided, darkness surged out hissing loudly into the air. The glow from their bodies surged after it like tendrils of light, snagging, wrestling with the dark wisps.

Branch opened his eyes panting as the energies finally escaped their bodies, leaving their hearts racing together and he watched as the two swarthy forms of black were devoured by wisps of light. A bright burst shone above them with a last hissing like a dying fire and the display quickly vanished like an expired firework.

Most were left staring as King Oak rushed up and grabbed his son’s arm and pulled him up as he panted.

“How do you feel?” he asked looking at him then at Poppy.

“Like…” Branch panted.

“All the dark feelings are gone,” Poppy breathed as the girls helped her back on her feet.

King Oak nodded and smiled looking relieved as he patted Branch’s shoulder.

Branch however rushed towards Poppy the moment he found his footing and took her hands. She was still a little dizzy but she smiled at him and held his hands tight.

“Go get that sword,” she grinned. “Oh! But before you do…”

He stared perplexed as she reached for her hair and pulled something out. He recognized the old tarnished emblem in her hand in an instant.

“You brought that with you?” he asked surprised and she nodded. She flipped over the metal oval in her hands and brushed her fingers over the old inscription on the back.

“ _Branches curve and arc over the blade of bane lay bare. While roots, mighty and old, anchor the earth below. Rest here in the heart of the Tree all the power and joy of Trolls to stop all that is sorrow untold. Only a noble soul, whole and one in self, can free and claim the herald of the Tree with no intent to keep and return all to color and felicity,_ ” she recited before gently pressing the sigil into his palm.

He swallowed, looking into her eyes as his doubt returned. She smiled at him.

“Believe in yourself, Branch. You can do it, I know you can! There’s no one more worthy and brave. You just have to believe it,” she insisted wrapping his fingers around the crest.

He smiled softly back, feeling his heart give way and find reassurance in her words and loving gaze. He could _feel_ just how much she believed in him and he was determined now not to let her down.

“If anyone here is worthy,” he whispered pulling her into a hug, pressing her close. “It is you, Poppy.”

She simpered and hugged him a little more tightly, pressing her face into his shoulder and relaxing in his arms. This time she was the one to end the hug much to his obvious surprise as she gently pushed him toward the sword. She said nothing, only smiled and he smiled back at her before turning a determined and flinty gaze at the roots and sword above them.

With a last deep breath he started to climb and he could feel everyone below holding their breath as well. He held tight to his old emblem in one hand and as he neared the top he swung out his hair and yanked himself up the last few feet. He somersaulted in the air and landed on the makeshift platform of roots curling around the blade.

He felt his breath catch as he stared at the sword. It was bigger than he imaged as he took careful steps towards it. Here the air was even more chaotic, clashing energies saturated the air and made his mane prickle with a strange sensation akin to danger.

Carefully he approached Balfour like he would a dangerous beast.

He stopped just a step away and stared down at the old silvery steel and took a deep breath. The air seemed to tremble and clear around him and he tensed, keeping a wary on the blade…but nothing seemed to change.

His ears twitched and he looked up like someone had called his name. Was…the air whispering? He squinted, glaring at the rustling leaves of the tree as a breeze brushed by and stirred the glade. It felt so peaceful all of a sudden…

He cast one final look down at the trolls staring at him with hope and he swallowed. A powerful motivation took him as he stared at them, as he met the pink eyes that held his heart.

He _wanted_ to succeed and he hoped that conviction and desire would be enough to give him the strength he needed.

Turning to Balfour his hand reached out and his ears twitched again, the air hummed, like there was a voice trying to speak. Trying to tell him something but he did not pause and his hand gripped the cool hilt of the blade. He realized it was a two-handed great sword, meant to be wielded with both hands.

The hilt to cool and soft to the touch and he felt something…strange stir inside his body, a sensation he could not quiet place. Something like an instinct, something deeper…like his bond with Poppy.

Gritting his teeth he heaved his arm up.

The blade did not budge.

Mortified gasps came from below and Branch felt his heart plummet.

Did…this mean they were all doomed?

He turned a distraught gaze to Poppy who looked like she was trying to hold back her despair but he could feel it stirring in their bond as she tried to hide it on her face.

Branch turned to the sword and desperation clawed at him with horror, with an impending sense of failure.

“Why…won’t you help us?” he whispered to the sword. “How many of us have to die before you will help us!” he hissed gripping the hilt harder and yanking once again.

The incessant whispering continued to pester his inner ear and he growled with frustration. His hands shaking, squeezing the emblem tight in his other hand and he paused.

He opened his hand stared down at the silvery metal, as it edges gleamed. Perplexed he flipped it over and quietly read, ignoring the commotion below as the trolls fretted and King Oak was already muttering battle plans.

Branch couldn’t hear them as he read the lines carefully.

_Only a noble soul, whole and one in self, can free and claim the herald of the Tree with no intent to keep and return all to color and felicity._

He paused, the whispering voice becoming more nagging, louder, till he was sure it was not his own voice he was hearing in his head.

_…whole and one in self…_

_Whole._

His eyes suddenly stretched wide with realization. The sword wasn’t two-handed, it was _meant_ for two hands!

“Poppy!” he called down not daring to let go of the hilt.

She jumped and looked up at him, her eyes growing bright and hopeful.

“Come up here!” he insisted urgently.

She didn’t waste a second. She rushed towards the roots and started to climb, as she got closer without a word and just a single glance they launched their hair towards one another and he yanked her up the rest of the way.

As she landed his free hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

“Help me pull it out,” he told her almost rushed.

She stared confounded and glanced at the sword for a split second before turning her confused gaze on him.

“What do you mean? Isn’t only one troll supposed to pull it out?”

“Just trust me,” Branch insisted. “I…I have a feeling. Poppy, look,” he said his hand coming to cup her cheek, pressing the metal to her skin for a moment. “It says whole and one in self. Poppy, without you I am not whole and I am not one in self. You…you make me whole. You’re my other half.”

Her eyes stretched wide and below the trolls had stopped conversing to listen, to watch with wide eyes.

“What…”

“Poppy,” he smiled now, widely almost giddy. “We can do this, _together_. Just like you said earlier. We’re a team, right? No, we are more than that. We are soul mates,” he grinned letting go of her face and taking her hand. “If I’m worthy than no one is more worthy than you. You’re the sunlight, the cupcakes and rainbows, the bright side of everything…you are everything that makes a troll a troll. Happiness, kindness, noble, selfless, brave…you gave me all that.”

She was staring dumbstruck but as he gushed on her smile grew.

“Pull out Balfour with me,” he repeated, nodding with more confidence than he had ever felt as he grinned at her almost excitedly. “We can do it. Together.”

She stared for a moment longer, looking ready to leap… And she did, just as their Hug Time bracelet dinged she was already hurling into him for a hug. Even as she smacked into his armor in her excitement again, this time she didn’t care and squeezed her arms around him tightly.

He chuckled heartily at her optimism and hugged her close before the soft chanting of their bracelet ceased. The trolls below were not as fortunate to escape Hug Time expect Thistle and Rose as Thistle shot a death glare at anyone that tried to get close to his injured mate.

Poppy bounded back grinning. “Let’s do it!” she declared and rushed to the other side of the sword opposite of Branch.

She looked at Branch for a moment and he nodded to her, smirking and she grinned widely in response. Suddenly her brow knitted together and she turned her feisty and determined stare on the sword. Her hand reached forward and took hold of the hilt just above Branch’s hand.

Branch and Poppy gasped as their skin started to glow and a resonance suddenly cried loudly in the air. The whispering came as a clear voice, echoing from the glowing white blade between their hands. A voice ancient and thundering.

_“Pull, my children. I, Balfour, have found my true heirs. Release me and strike darkness from the world. Let color be born anew.”_

The glade was silent with shock as the trolls below stared with open awe as pure white light washed their world around them till they were blinded.

Branch looked up and Poppy met his gaze and nodded to him. They smiled confidently together and with single heave the roots below split with a crackling echo. Shafts of light shot through to the sky, breaking through the leaves and as the blade was yanked free it splendored and burned in a halo of light and split.

From the light came two blades.

In each of their hands Poppy and Branch held a separate shimmering blade, smaller than the original and perfectly fit for their hands. The steel blades of the swords sheened with the fractured colors of the spectrum like a rainbow was split and captured over the metal now renewed and glorious, free of stains and rust.

Branch’s blade shimmered with the deep dark colors of silvery moonbeams over mist while Poppy’s blade gleamed like otherworldly shades of brightness, of sunlight breaking through the rain.

They grinned only for the roots below them to feel like they caved.

In horror they turned their sight to watch darkness avalanche below their feet and through the wood. The bark moaned and groaned, cracking and splitting as darkness swallowed the wood. Like a plague it rippled out in a wave, the blackness spreading to the great branches of the tree as she groaned in silent pain.

The moss withered and wilted, turned black and brown and the flowers grew limp and brittle and grey. Color…was fading with life and as it spread the leaves high above shriveled and browned, breaking and starting to rain down only to shatter into a compost of dead dust _,_ blown away by a howling wind.

The branches curled, snapped, moaned and dried up as the black plague kept rushing through it and surged down swiftly to its roots.

The Mother Troll Tree was dying and Poppy and Branch gasped, falling to their knees, clutching at their chests as they felt the death emanate into them like it was coming from their bond even as a powerful life force thrummed at their fingertips and shielded them.

The other trolls felt it too and they were not spared from the full effects as the darkness rushed past them they lost a bit of their color as well, gasping with dread and pain and sorrow as they began to swiftly turn grey with only muted shades of what they once were painted.

In moments the Mother Troll Tree stood dead and bare, branches high above like twisted black claws of a desolate dead tree in a barren land. Around them without leaves to shield the top of the tree any longer they watched the death spread and the sunlight fade as the sky darkened and turned grey, the sun bleaching out to a white ring without light.

The water grew brackish and black, tainted and polluted… The grass and flowers died among the great tree’s roots. The shadowy mantle rippled out like an ocean over the village, draining the color of everything it touched and making trolls scream with fear as they watched color drain from their world.

In the north the grey mountains loomed and a splitting screech fell over the world like thunder, bringing silence to the ancient forest and the Mother Troll Tree. A cold wind swept over the land, and the ancient forest moaned with despair, leaves rustling with a foreboding and eerie whisper.

Poppy and Branch exchanged a horrified glance as the last two creatures of color.

“The sword…” she whispered.

“Took the tree’s life,” Branch finished mortified.

 


	28. The Eve before Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! Also news, I failed to resist and I've posted the new fanfic I started because I've also started to co-write a wonderful troll au story with my wonderful new friend in crime: Secretsivekept, and both stories will be sharing some similarities. I hope to find you guys reading our future story! Till later~

* * *

“This is a nightmare,” Branch muttered as he looked out over the colorless world.

“Branch! Poppy! Put the swords back! Hurry!” King Oak yelled from below.

The two trolls exchanged a look and didn’t wait.

Branch was there among the creaking and crumbling roots, offering Poppy his free hand. She stumbled closer and took his hand. The fear was evident on her face as she looked into his eyes before looking around again.

“Let’s stab them in together,” he distracted her and she nodded mutely.

Branch raised his hand, pointing his blade down and Poppy did the same with her own sword. Together the blades came down on the roots and a blinding beam of light burned in their visions, making them squint and shut their eyes painfully.

The world seemed to breathe again, stir.

Branch gasped, feeling like he could breathe again and as he opened his eyes he found their hands together on a single hilt again.

He glanced around and relief washed over him as he saw the world again in color, not drowned in nightmarish shades of greys.

But as he looked around at the tree…he realized it was not fully restored. Although the branches had color and leaves again the leaves looked disease-ridden, crackling, shriveled, shades of yellow and browns. The branches were also wilting and running through their surface were thick cracks. More wounds still broke through the trees limbs and down its truck and the sap that oozed out of them smelled foul and sour, slimy, turning grey as it hardened.

The tree was back to life but it was slowly dying…

“Let’s go,” Branch muttered removing his hand from the hilt and began to slip down the root platform with Poppy right beside him.

As they reached the bottom of the roots Thistle was already rushing off with Rose in his arms.

King Oak waved them forward and the group started to move for the elevator after the prince.

“What happened?” Poppy gasped first as they reached the other trolls. “Why is the tree still dying?” she fretted, shivering as she felt the effects echoing in her body.

Branch could feel it too and he realized it was no understatement that the lives of all trolls were connected to the Mother Troll Tree.

“The sword was original impaled into the tree to gain the power of life,” Aspar mumbled as he wobbled as quickly as he could with his old legs.

“It only makes sense that it took the tree’s life to gain that power,” Calamus muttered in agreement.

“It felt like I was holding a powerful life force in my hands,” Branch interjected.

“Me too!” Poppy echoed glancing back at the sword they were leaving behind.

“Which puts us in quite a predicament,” Calamus continued. “Like it says in the old legend, the tree’s life is tethered to Balfour. You two may have returned the sword to its rightful place, giving back the tree her life again, but the tree is still dying. When you two pulled out the sword the sickness it had been containing from the original battle against the Umbragon over a thousand years ago must have been released.”

Branch’s brow knitted as he remembered that part of the legend before King Balfour made a deal with the monster and sacrificed his life. The Mother Troll Tree had been dying before being impaled with the sword, reviving it.

“Then shouldn’t it have contained the sickness again?” Branch asked confused.

“Not all magic is perfect,” Calamus muttered. “Especially magic trolls haven’t had for a thousand years. The spell probably got weaker and weaker over the centuries till you two broke it.”

Branch grimaced along with a few others that were listening.

“But…the color! All the color in the world was suddenly gone!” Poppy almost yelled and Branch took her hand, wanting to calm her down.

The Snack Pack made incoherent sounds of displeasure and trembled as they rushed with the group up the pathway.

“Haven’t you heard the legend, missy?” Calamus scoffed. “The Mother Troll Tree brought color into the world. If she dies so will all the color and the trolls soon after.”

Poppy stared horrified at the idea. A world without color…

“That was in the story!” Suki gasped behind them.

“But isn’t it just a story?” Cooper squeaked.

Poppy suddenly gasped remembering the book she had brought with them but it was currently on Branch’s desk in his room.

“Peh! Then what we just witnessed was clearly an illusion,” Calamus mocked sarcastically.

“Was…that sarcasm?” Biggie asked with concern innocence. “Because it looked real to me…”

“Not at all…” Calamus’s responded dryly as he rolled his eyes.

“Are you sure you’re not related to Branch?” Cooper asked back.

Branch scowled at the strange question and turned a glare on Cooper.

“Actually, we are distantly related. I’d be one of his great uncles of rather, who knows how many times removed,” Calamus said matter-of-fact making Branch stiffen surprised in mid pace.

“Makes sense,” Guy Diamond quipped.

“A family of grumps,” the twins echoed in agreement.

This time both Poppy and Branch sent a reproachful glare on the group to silence them.

“We need to gather the council,” King Oak suddenly spoke up. “The Umbragon might be on its way. We need to send out scouts, fortify the tree, get all the trolls out of the village into the bunkers, request reinforcements…” he trailed off.

“I will send word to my father, your highness. He won’t refuse if I ask him,” Azalea mentioned swiftly.

“Thank you, Princess Azalea,” he thanked sounding relieved. “I’ll need to talk with King Sorbus right now too,” he muttered offhandedly.

They made it to the elevator long after Thistle had already vanished down the shaft with Rose.

King Oak cranked the lever and waited for the platform to return.

“Branch, Poppy, I’m going to need your help and that of your friends. We’ll need trolls helping keep the villagers calm and traveling with them to the bunkers. But I’ll need you two with the war council along with Thistle to plan for the attack,” the King said with a rush in his voice.

“Alright, Dad,” Branch agreed as the elevator returned and they began to stream onto the platform.

“Poppy we also need to get your measurements for some armor of your own,” King Oak mentioned absently and Branch froze.

So many words of protest came to mind for Branch in an instant. He didn’t want Poppy to be involved in the fight! Even if she had pulled out the sword with him!

Before he could open his mouth a steady hand squeezed his and he turned to stare into her pink eyes. She gave him that confident smirk like on their journey to save their friends. Branch knew he was not going to dissuade nor was it fair to try. They were in it together and he gave a faint smile in return even as fear swirled in his blue eyes.

As the elevator reached the bottom floor they were met with a contingent of warriors with King Sorbus and Rowan swarming them as soon the elevator doors opened.

“Oak! What’s happening?” Sorbus immediately asked with a brusque voice coming up and touching the other king’s shoulder. “Parts of the palace have collapsed inside! Cracks in the walls leading outside and leaks of foul sap all over the place! There are trolls injured, rooms blocked and trolls are swarming at the palace entrance, afraid! And Thistle completely ignored me when we passed him.”

“Sorbus, you’ll have to forgive him, Rose was injured,” King Oak answered quickly and kept walking, tugging his brother-in-law along. “Branch and Poppy managed to pull out Balfour.”

“They did?” Sorbus asked surprised and thrilled casting a glance back at them.

“Rose was injured!?” Rowan asked panicked over his father’s voice.

“Rowan did you mobilize the other warriors?” King Oak demanded ignoring the troll’s question. “We need to make sure everyone is accounted for and the routes to the most important parts of the trees are open. Send warriors to help the villagers. We need Thistle too, can you go get him? Tell him to make it to the council room immediately.”

“Y-yes, uncle, we already sent out warriors to check all the halls and parts of the palace,” he muttered. “We just came to make sure everythin’ was alright up here.”

“I’ll go get Thistle,” Branch cut in making everyone look at him confused. He grimaced and didn’t say anything wondering why they stared.

“Me and the guys will help the villagers,” Poppy beamed starting to shoo the Snack Pack down the stairs.

Branch smirked knowing Poppy was perfect for the job even as she started to leave him behind.

“Alright, Poppy, Branch, try to be in the council chamber in an hour,” King Oak said making the pink queen pause. “I’ll get the Elders. Rowan and Branch go get Thistle. Sorbus we need reinforcements…” he said cautiously turning an uncertain gaze on the troll.

“Consider them sent for,” Sorbus assured and turned to his son. “I’ll be sending your sister home, Rowan, go be sure to tell her good bye,” he said to his son.

“Course, dad.”

It was silence thereafter as they split up on their way downstairs. Branch gave Poppy a kiss on the cheek before she ran off with the rest of the group.

As they headed to the doctor’s office they had to circumvent several roadblocks on the way and take alternate routes as trolls worked. For once Branch wasn’t all that thankful for the silence which was surprising from his chattier cousin. In his head Branch kept hearing the distant roar of the monster echoing out over the world. How far was it now that it had made its presence known?

Branch felt a chill run down his spine as they made it to the royal infirmary and it was swarming. Trolls were rushing in and out as Branch and Rowan squeezed in.

They large room was filled. Every single cot had a patient and more were leaning against the wall or sitting in chairs as the nurses and doctors rushed around trying to treat the most injured.

It wasn’t hard to spot Thistle and Rose near the back of the room. Rose was in a one of the white beds and Thistle was tending to her injuries.

Worried, Branch walked around the running trolls in the room and made it across the room to their side.

Rose’s alert green eyes were the first to look up at him. Thistle however did not break his gaze away from the work he was doing as he was gently spreading medicine over her most burnt hand and arm.

“How are you feeling?” Branch asked with a concerned frown as he noticed the other bandages like the small ones on her cheek, another over her shoulder, one on the side of her neck… But her shadow mark was gone at least which he admitted was a huge relief and Branch imaged a huge relief for Thistle too.

“I’m feeling better,” she sighed relieved giving him an honest smile. “Thistle is being…” her gaze moved to the troll who was focused on his work and she stared at him with affection. “He’s very thorough.”

Branch smirked. He knew all the troll warriors had to learn first aid before going out to the field and he wasn’t surprised by Thistle’s rigorous treatment of his soul mate. Branch would be exactly the same way for Poppy.

“I was so worried about you when I heard, Rose!” Rowan suddenly pushed forward and Branch noticed Thistle stiffen ever so slightly but he didn’t look up as he kept working.

“I’m fine, Rowan, just some burns,” she assured with a friendly smile.

Rowan took her other free hand as he came up to her side.

“I still can’t believe it! How did this even happen?”

“Balfour rejected me,” she shrugged.

“The sword did this to ya?” he asked horrified.

Rose’s lips pinched together and she nodded.

“Well that sword is stupid! Burning someone as nice and good as you…” he started ramblingly heatedly. “What’s it thinking? Got your pretty dress all ruined too!”

“That _stupid_ sword is a sacred heirloom that houses the soul of the first king and is going to save our lives,” Thistle suddenly growled angrily, finally looking up as he pulled a roll of gauze from the nearby tray on a small rolling table. “You would think you _know_ that after living here so many years, Rowan.”

Rowan stiffened and frowned finally looking at his older cousin. “Course I know that, Thistle. I was just…it’s just… Well! Ya can’t be happy either this happened to Rose!” he huffed.

Rose grimaced, her eyes darting between the two.

“Of course, I’m not happy! But I’m not stupid enough to start going around insulting an ancient and sacred artifact of our people,” he spat. His blue eyes suddenly shot down to Rowan’s hands hugging Rose’s uninjured hand tightly. “Now if you don’t mind, what’s really irking me right now is _you_. If you don’t get your hands off Rose _right now_ , I’m going to chop them off.”

“Thistle!” Rose protested looking worried and annoyed.

Branch grimaced, fidgeting. _Uh-oh._

“You ain’t the boss of her hand!” Rowan snapped back boldly.

 _Oh by the hair…_ Branch tried not to groan. He was taking his opinion of Rowan back all of a sudden. Maybe the guy really was an idiot.

Thistle gritted his teeth suddenly surging up and he was yelling.

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY MATE!”

“SHE AIN’T YOURS!” Rowan yelled back also standing.

Everyone in the infirmary was staring stiffly now in their direction.

Rose suddenly yanked both her arms back and both trolls looked down confused only to meet her fiery gaze.

“Excuse me, but _I_ will decide who can and can’t touch me. Now **_both_** of you shut up and sit down!” she snarled making them both stiffen and suddenly sit down with wide eyes. “Making a commotion in the middle of the infirmary, what are you, ten?” she spat disappointed.

Branch held down a snicker but was still smiling. He looked back and everyone seemed to unfreeze and get back to work.

Thistle huffed and got back to bandaging Rose’s arm in silence. Rowan crossed his arms, pouting and fuming with blush across his face as he looked away.

The silence was awkward and Branch decided to break it.

“Thistle, dad wants us to be in the council room in an hour at most. He’s getting everyone together for a war meeting.” By the hair those words didn’t sound so strange anymore.

Thistle glanced back at Branch and nodded before focusing on the bandages.

“Any…ideas?” Branch pressed awkwardly.

“We’ll probably discuss how we’ll ambush the monster,” Thistle mentioned absently with a strict tone. “I would guess we’ll mobilize a full air strike with the buzzlbees and squadrons of warriors on the cliffs around the glade to keep the monster distracted. Usually we don’t let the monster come all the way to the tree but it will give us the home field advantage and it’s where Balfour is.”

“Thistle,” Rose spoke up and he immediately looked up into her eyes, his ears quirked up. “You should teach Branch and Poppy to fly their own buzzlbees for the fight. It would give them an advantage to reach the heart or the head to strike the Umbragon.”

Thistle smirked at her. “You’re ruining Branch’s birthday gift from me, Rose,” he chuckled.

She grinned back not looking the least bit apologetic.

Branch was staring and then he suddenly remembered his birthday. He started counting the days in his head.

Wait…was that…five days from now?

He grimaced and hoped Poppy, or anyone else for that matter, wasn’t trying to plan something now at the worst of times. As he thought about it…he knew he couldn’t expect less from Poppy even when the world was ending. It was just like her to probably throw a last day on earth party and he groaned to himself.

“What is it Branch?” Rose asked suddenly making him look back.

“Oh…just, I forgot about my birthday. You guys or Poppy aren’t planning anything, right?” he asked suspiciously.

Thistle’s face was neutral as he finished tying the bandages in place on his soul mate’s arm. Rose however was not as good as keeping her face aloof and her expression gave it away making Branch groan.

“Seriously? This is the worst time for a party!” he berated exasperated.

“Take it up with your dad and Poppy. They’re the one in cahoots,” Rose grimaced with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Ugh,” he grimaced and wondered if he should even bother. Would it even work knowing Poppy?

Thistle stood up and distracted them all as he gently cupped Rose’s face so she faced him. Her eyes grew wide and she was frozen as he kissed her lips.

Branch stiffened and looked away and Rowan after a moment of horror also turned his gaze angrily away.

“Rest up,” Thistle said making Branch glance back. “I’ll visit you right after the meeting, I promise. If they let you out before that, just go to my room and wait for me, alright? You have the key, just make yourself at home.”

Rose gulped nervously looking unsure but nodded.

Thistle had a gentle smile on his face but the moment he drew away and faced Branch, the stoic expression was back.

“Let’s go,” he said brushing past Branch. “You too, Rowan,” he called back.

Rowan scowled and stood up to follow.

“Feel better, Rosy,” he said looking at her.

Thistle stiffened in his stride, his ears strained back as Rose chuckled.

“You haven’t called me that since our training days as teens, Rowan. You know I don’t like that nickname.”

Rowan grinned widely. “Yeah, but ya always let me call you it anyways without hittin’ me.”

“That’s only because you were five years younger and a prince. But I might hit you now,” she teased with some seriousness giving his arm a light punch that just grazed his sleeve making him chuckle.

“Alright, I’ll stop if you want, m’lady.”

“Now I really am going to hit you!” she snorted throwing a punch he dodged while laughing.

Rose rolled her eyes and Rowan finally left her alone, quickly following Branch and Thistle out the room.

Branch was grimacing feeling the obvious air of tension from his brother. Was Rowan just trying to upset him? Their cousin couldn’t be that daft…right?

They made it into the hallway and walked for a minute. Branch wasn’t sure the issue was over with and it didn’t look like it. Thistle was walking with balled up fists and a rigid back. As they turned a corner Thistle suddenly whipped around and his dark turquoise hair surged out and Branch stiffened but the hair shot past him and something hit the wall behind him.

Tense, Branch watched his brother briskly walk past him and up to Rowan who was chocking and gagging with the coil of hair around his throat holding him up against the wall.

Thistle’s angry purple face was only inches from Rowan’s fern green face within seconds and the younger troll tensed.

“I’m only going to tell you this one time, Rowan. Don’t. Flirt. With. My. Soul. Mate.”

“S-s-soul mate?” Rowan coughed, shocked as he stared wide-eyed.

“Thistle,” Branch warned putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

Thistle growled low and deep and his hair pulled back and Rowan fell to the ground coughing, rubbing his throat.

“Consider yourself informed,” Thistle said cuttingly. “Go make yourself useful till the meeting, away from Rose!” he added sharply at the end eyeing him before turning around.

Branch was caught by surprise as Thistle’s hand met his shoulder a turned him around, leading him back down the hallway.

Thistle let go of him a few moments later and Branch felt both of them relax a little as they left Rowan behind.

“You know…” Branch started carefully as they headed for the stairs with the elevator of this floor disabled. “You really need to learn to take care of your temper, Thistle,” he chuckled.

“Ugh,” Thistle groaned pinching the brow of his nose and screwed his eyes closed for a moment. “Trust me, I try, Branch. But…ugh!” he groaned. “Just seeing him flirt with her in front of my face! You can’t tell me that wouldn’t have made you mad,” he said frowning looking at Branch for support.

Branch snorted amused and couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “Well…I actually know _exactly_ what you mean. Remember the story Poppy told this morning at breakfast? The troll she mentioned, called Creek?”

“The one you choked? And then Poppy choked?” Thistle grinned letting out a laugh.

“That’s the one,” Branch confirmed amused.

“I bet you smiled when she choked him,” Thistle grinned knowingly elbowing Branch.

“I did,” he admitted. “I totally did.”

 

* * *

 

Thistle had been right about the meeting and Branch had to admit although he could keep up it was not something he was versed in. So he and Poppy remained mostly silent during the meeting until traps were mentioned and Branch was more than happy to give some impute, maybe getting a little too enthusiastic.

Everyone seemed impressed and Branch was trying not to blush as he got proud smiles from his dad, uncle, Thistle and Poppy as he quickly even drew some diagrams for large traps for the top of the glade when the beast headed for the tree.

In the end he was tasked with being head of trap preparations and promised something by the morning for the warriors to get working on. Even if it meant an all-nighter for Branch, he just hoped Poppy would be able to sleep.

King Oak then discussed the letters and scouts that had already been sent out and the villagers were already being evacuated and the village would be empty by noon of the next day.

Tasks were delegated and the meeting broke apart and the Elders set to leave with the villagers except the few that were adamant about staying like Aspar, Dr. Sage, and Calamus.

Branch got straight to work and Poppy went back to help with evacuations and she was gone for most of the day till she came back tired and dead on her feet that night. Branch had his desk strewn with plans and blueprints and smiled and watched her go to bed.

Halfway through the night he finished and collapsed himself, cuddling closer to her till her pink curls of messy hair tickled his nose and he fell asleep with the smell of strawberries in his nose.

The next morning was not an easy wake as he got up early to deliver the plans to his father and Thistle, leaving Poppy alone to sleep. He was just in time to hear the news from the scouts.

The Umbragon was on its way and it would be at the glade in four days, the night before the day of his birthday.

The horror of their reality woke Branch up right away and the real work began.

Each day was one of tension and sleep less important as the days slipped by.

Branch resumed his training with Poppy, except this time Thistle trained Branch and Rose trained Poppy now that her wounds were healed. It was tiresome, if Branch had thought Rose was merciless then Thistle was a lot worse but he was not unkind like before and kept Branch on his toes. Even King Oak, King Sorbus, and Rowan joined the training along with a fully healed Carter, Moss, Holly, and the other warriors Branch had come to know.

Everything was serious even as they took their first flying lessons on buzzlbees which in the moment had been exciting especially with Poppy who was a natural. Branch mostly cruised and watched her with a smile as she did complicated aerial maneuvers…until she and Thistle somehow goaded him into a race which much to Thistle’s shock, Poppy had won making Branch laugh when Thistle took the loss a little too seriously and began training himself harder to beat her on a rematch.

The next four days passed by, mostly work with little amusement or fun except when Poppy somehow got the glade trolls to start singing with her on some occasions. At least Poppy had agreed not to try throwing a party, the atmosphere was a little too morbid for such celebrations. Everyone stayed focused and everything was set as the evening seemed to drag on of the fourth day.

The traps were set. The warriors in place in the forest, glade cliffs, the top of the Mother Troll Tree and she was empty of all but a few residents and the medics staying on hand.

Now it was just waiting for night to arrive.

A waiting game Branch hated as he walked into the stables with Thistle, Rose and Poppy.

“Come on, Poppy, your surprise is up here!” Rose said with an excited thrill tugging Poppy along.

“Alright! Alright!” Poppy beamed never losing her bright spirit as Rose tugged her along to the stairs that lead to the upper floor.

It was odd to see Poppy with such a casual and unflattering set of clothes like the rest of them, a simple blouse and pants that went under armor. So far she had been training in guard armor till the royal smith finished her personal set. Branch admitted he was curious to see her in it, so far the guard armor wasn’t exactly her look and he wondered if it ever would be. He doubted it.

“Why did you bring us here, again? Are you just going to show off the new armor for the buzzlbees?” Branch asked confused as Thistle looked after the two girls smiling. But Branch knew his brother’s eyes were all for Rose just like his were for Poppy.

“Oh, you’ll see,” Thistle grinned patting Branch’s back and tugging him along. “By the way, the smiths were really impressed by those designs you gave them. You’re really impressive, Branch.”

Branch shrugged, a slight smile pulling at his lips at the compliment.

“Armor is great for our survival, so why not for the buzzlbees too if it’s light enough?”

Thistle chuckled in agreement as they walked down the aisle alone.

“I’m going to miss you when you leave,” Thistle admitted sadly a moment later in the silence.

Branch’s ears perked up and he frowned looking at Thistle. “That is _if_ I leave. I can’t say that till the fight is over,” Branch mentioned absently, regretfully. “But if we do survive… I’m going to miss you too, and dad, and especially living here,” he admitted with a sigh.

“I wish we could catch up on all the things we missed that we should have had growing up as kids,” Thistle said quietly looking ahead as they walked.

“We can visit each other, can’t we?” Branch smiled a little hopeful. “We can send each other letters ever week too. I know Poppy will want to do that with Rose, they’ve really gotten close.”

Thistle smiled thoughtfully and nodded. “I can see that,” he smirked and looked at Branch with a playful gleam in his eyes. “Maybe you won’t mind me and Rose staying with you for a while? I know you’ll be king and you’ll be busy, I won’t be king anytime soon so…”

“Sure,” Branch said immediately with a wide smile. “Really, being King for our people isn’t the same as for yours, I think there is actually a lot less work involved,” he chuckled.

Thistle grinned even more widely. He had been smiling a lot more lately and it was a good look for him, even making his mood and behavior more pleasant. It was all honestly thanks to Rose. It had not escaped the notice of any troll, especially the villagers when Thistle had led their evacuation.

“But! You better be ready for a lot of signing, hugging, and dancing. And partying, we do that a lot,” Branch warned with a slight amused grimace of his own.

“Ugh…” Thistle groaned. “Sounds like a bad idea already. Maybe you need someone to help you whip up some warriors out of all your softies instead?” he teased, smiling. “The world is dangerous after all, better be safe than sorry.”

Branch made a thoughtful face for a moment, rubbing his chin and chortled as he winked at Thistle. “I’ll have to take it up with the Queen first.”

Thistle snorted and rolled his eyes suddenly stopping and turning to face a stable.

“Happy Birthday, brother,” he grinned gesturing to the beast in the stable. “This is Carib and he’s all yours.”

Branch gaped looking at the buzzlbee giving him a quizzical look with a fuzzy coat of the darkest purple that usually only the royal family rode. Light amour plates covered its sides and it wore a specialized helmet, all rich with filigree patterns just like Branch’s royal armor. Its large dragonfly wings shimmered and shook with a few beats. Its long narrow beak moved forward and Branch laughed as a long skinny tongue tickled his face and licked him.

“But…my birthday isn’t till tomorrow,” he said dumbstruck and looked at Thistle who just shrugged unconcerned.

“I wanted to give you an early birthday present, you know, with doom and making everything uncertain. Or just trying to make up for all the presents you’ve miss out on or just…well you know.”

Branch grinned wider and turned his eyes on the beast.

“He’s really mine?” Branch asked amazed as he walked up and scratched the buzzlbee under its chin making it buzz happily and nuzzle its large head close.

“Sure is,” Thistle beamed coming up and giving Carib a scratch on his thick furry main and it was obvious the buzzlbee loved the attention. “Even after you leave you can take him with you. Dad says he wants to give you and Poppy your own whole flock so your people can use.”

“Really?” Branch beamed excited. That would change so much for the trolls back home! It would even solve their problems getting to the forest and collecting supplies in a timely fashion, not to mention travel!

“Yeah, right now Rose is giving Poppy her ver—”

“AAAAAAHHHHH!”

Both brothers winced at the sound of Poppy’s delighted scream echoing through the large stable. She sure knew how to project her voice…

Thistle painfully fingered his ear and snorted shaking his head.

“Well, I guess that answered that,” he chuckled.

“It sort of does,” Branch agreed.

“BRANCH! I GOT A PINK BUZZLBEE! SHE’S SOOOO PRETTY!”

Branch chortled and rolled his eyes, he wasn’t going to yell back.

“Pink?” he echoed.

“Hey,” Thistle shrugged. “It’s a rare color and no one around here wants to ride the poor oddball because of it, she can keep it.”

Branch smirked and shook his head in defeat.

 

* * *

 

“Branch, you can look now.”

Branch was fully armored and stiffly waiting in their room, looking at the wrapped up present in his hands on his desk after they had returned from the stables. He put the gift down and turned around.

He stiffened, his mouth growing a little slack as he saw Poppy.

She stood there with a fierce grin on her face, mantled in her own set of royal armor. Every plate had filigree like his own armor, shifting curls and leaves in elegant designs and even flowers which his armor did not have. The fresh forged chest plate gleamed in the light of the flower and mushroom lamps. Her helmet was made with the same metal branches like his own except hers had small metal flowers blooming among them, not bare. The crest was radically different, a troll tree under a rainbow and pink gem in an oval frame. The leaves that crowned around her head were soft and bright green. Her single large leaf cape draped over her shoulders and Branch found himself smiling like an idiot as he stared at her.

She looked like a pink and silver war goddess, radiant and ready for battle.

Battle.

He frowned at that thought the simple word brought and had to push it away before his expression got too grim.

Pulling the gift in his hands he walked up to her and looked her over with a soft smile as she stared and waited for him to say something.

“You look beautiful, kind of scary too,” he chuckled and she giggled with him. “I think I prefer you in a dress though,” he admitted a moment later with more seriousness, the frown finally beating him and taking his mouth in its shape.

Her expression softened as she caught the meaning behind his words.

“You don’t think it suits me?”

He smiled. “Oh, it definitely suits you. Just…” he trailed off troubled. “I just wish it wasn’t right now.”

He sighed and Poppy’s hand gently touched his cheek.

“I know what you mean,” she frowned herself and looked down at the present wrapped with green paper and a pink bow in his hands. “What is that?” she finally asked and looked at the stack of forgotten gifts by the desk on the floor. “You have a lot of them.”

“Oh, um…” he glanced back at the forgotten tokens of affection and shrugged. “I got a lot of presents after I arrived, but that’s not important,” he brushed off with a nervous blush coloring his face.

Poppy frowned suspiciously but decided to leave it be as the gift was pressed into her hands.

“This…this is for you,” he finally breathed, nervous.

Her eyes lit up and she grinned looking down at the present. Her pink fingers began to tear the wrapping apart and Branch’s anticipation grew as the felt cover of the scrapbook was revealed.

Her eyes went wide as the rivets of paper fell to the floor and her fingers brushed over the gift.

“Branch…did you make this?”

He let out a nervous laugh. “It’s my first scrapbook, try to go easy on me.”

Her eyes were shinning as she looked up at him for a moment before opening the book. Her eyes just seemed to grow brighter and wider as she saw the story of their journey popping out from the pages.

“Your scrapbooking is as good as your singing, Branch! It’s beautiful!” she gushed looking up at him beaming, looking like she might cry at any second from joy.

Branch grinned widely with delight and relief. “I had only the best as my inspiration,” he said happily pointing at the book. “Flip to the last page.” And Branch was grinning with undying anticipation and Poppy looked down curiously at the scrapbook and did as she was instructed.

On the last page the Troll Tree popped up and one by one each of their friends popped up around the tree, a rainbow and miniature them on the top hugging on a great yellow mushroom. A little electronic voice cried out joyfully, “WE DID IT!” and a little canon burst from the middle of the tree.

Glitter went flying, showering all over Poppy’s face in rainbow fracturing sparkles. Even a weak little after shot sent another spurt of glitter into the air falling between their feet.

Branch was grinning widely as he stared at his glitter covered mate.

She grinned, looking up and she was literally shinning. “Just the right amount of glitter, Branch. Just…perfect,” she ended sounding a little choked as she gently closed the book and hugged it to her chest. “I’ll treasure it forever.”

Branch chuckled gently cupping her chin with one hand while he gently brushed the glitter off her face with the other.

“I know you will.”

Her smile just grew a little bigger.

His heart caught, beating at that new pace he was coming to understand and accept. Leaning in he kissed her, meeting the warmth of their lips together and feeling that strange ethereal connection spark between them. That connected their hearts forever and in that moment.

It broke a minute later and he was smiling, gazing into her eyes.

An unearthly roar shook the tree, quaking, until all around them wood dust clouded the air and darkness befell them inking the world... Colors began to grey, leaking around them like an infection.

Poppy gasped as did Branch as she rushed closer and her wrapped his arms around her, looking up at the ceiling as it shook.

“It’s almost here,” she whispered with restrained fright.

Branch nodded with a grimace and pulled her back to look into her eyes with his filled with fierce determination.

“Let’s go meet our fate.”

“And bring color and happiness back to the world,” she smirked with confidence back at him and he felt her positive energy bring him hope again, renewing his own sense of purpose.

They would fight and they would win and they would live.


End file.
